


Lily Luna Potter's Best Birthday Ever

by Ely_Baby



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comedy of Errors, Cousin Incest, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Marriage Proposal, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 08:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6847414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ely_Baby/pseuds/Ely_Baby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily is having the worst twenty-fifth birthday ever: she's got a stomach bug that not even the Pepperup Potion seems able to eradicate, her mother is keeping secrets from her, her Kneazle has been missing for a week, and a picture of her Quidditch star boyfriend of seven years while he takes a stroll down Diagon Alley with a mysterious brunette at his arm has just made the front page of the Prophet.</p><p>Lily knows only one thing: she should have never gotten out of bed that morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lily Luna Potter's Best Birthday Ever

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ask Lavender](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5929222) by [Ely_Baby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ely_Baby/pseuds/Ely_Baby). 



> This is a follow-up to 'Ask Lavender'. Written as a gift for Kelly, who left comment number 150. She wanted something with pregnant Lily, and I was only happy to comply. :D
> 
> I hope you'll all enjoy this, guys! Thank you so much for being on board of this ship with me.

***

“Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Lily, happy birthday to you…”

That last ‘you’ was followed by a soft noise on her bedside table, and then the same lips that had sung her birthday wishes were pressed against her jaw.

“Happy birthday to you,” continued Hugo, his voice now nothing more than a whisper, though, as he trailed kisses down her neck. “Happy birthday to you…”

Lily didn’t open her eyes, but she smiled and tilted her head back to allow her boyfriend to kiss his way to whatever part of her body he felt like worshipping that morning. “Hmm,” she breathed appreciatively as he gave her little pecks on her collarbone.

“Morning, my love,” he whispered. The mattress of their bed dipped under his weight and when Lily finally opened her eyes, he was lying next to her. Her smile deepened and she closed her eyes again, snuggling closer to him.

“Morning,” she replied sleepily.

“Happy birthday,” he repeated, hugging her tightly. “How does it feel to be one year older?”

She leant her cheek against his chest. “Hmm, good,” she replied. “Especially when your boyfriend wakes you up with kisses and a serenade…”

“And breakfast.” He unwound his arms from around her as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He turned, grabbed a tray covered in all sorts of delicious-looking dishes, and set it on his lap. “I made you my famous Happy-Birthday-Lily cooked breakfast. Why don’t you dig in while I keep kissing you?”

Lily opened her eyes and grinned as she pushed herself up next to him. “That sounds like the best start to an awesome birthday ever. But… hmm… how can I eat if you keep kissing me?”

“Who says I’m going to keep kissing your lips?” he asked back cheekily, flashing her an impish smile that promised kisses in all sorts of indecent places.

She leant against his arm and looked down at the tray. “I like the sound of that,” she whispered. She stretched her head forward and inhaled the sweet smell of strawberry jam on top of the pancakes and the bacon and eggs on toast. “And this smells so—” She just had the time to bring a hand in front of her mouth and clamp it down firmly as her stomach protested and the nausea rose at the back of her throat.

“Smells good, doesn’t—ouch! Bloody hell!”

That was definitely Hugo’s nose that had encountered her elbow as she pushed away the covers and climbed on top of him before coming down on the other side of the bed and making the tray and all its content fly to the floor with a clatter.

She couldn’t stop, though. She couldn’t even turn around or take her hand away from her mouth to mutter her apologies for having elbowed him in the face and ruined her birthday breakfast, and all in less than two seconds.

She pushed the door of the bathroom open and launched herself towards the toilet. She didn’t even have time to kneel, she just grabbed the sides and started heaving the content of her stomach. At that time of the morning, though, her stomach was still empty, so she felt even worse as it contracted around nothing and the acid taste of vomit filled her mouth.

“Oh, my God,” said Hugo as he hurried to her side and crouched down next to her. “You’re still sick? I thought you said you were feeling better.” He tucked the hair away from her face and placed a hand on her back, massaging her slowly with circular motions that immediately gave her great comfort.

She swiped the back of her hand over her mouth as she sat back on her heels and looked at Hugo disconsolately. “I feel better after I take the Pepperup Potion,” she replied, voice throaty. “Then I’m sick again the following morning.” She took a deep breath and hunched her shoulders in defeat. “I just don’t know what the hell it is, but I really hoped it would go away before my birthday.”

“And it didn’t,” stated Hugo gently but seriously. “You have to go to St Mungo’s.”

Lily let out a groan. “I hate St Mungo’s,” she complained. “They always keep me there for hours even for the stupidest thing. And then I’m late for work and I have tons of articles to edit before they can go into printing and Lavender’s replies to—”

Hugo shook his head. “No, no, no,” he said seriously. “I don’t care, Lily. You’ve been sick for two weeks now. This isn’t healthy.”

“Well, it’s not like I’ve lost any weight, don’t worry,” she replied sourly. “In fact, I couldn’t even button up my favourite jeans, yesterday.” She pouted and stood up, walking on her unstable legs towards the basin to rinse her mouth from the sour taste of vomit.

“Well, aren’t your favourite jeans from back when we were at school?” asked Hugo gently as he stood as well. “You had to outgrow them at some point.”

She spat the water into the basin and turned to look at him, eyes wide and probably flashing dangerously. “ _Outgrow_?” she asked in a hiss. “Don’t you mean that I’m getting fat?”

Hugo slowly raised a hand in front of him, looking at her as if she was a wild animal about to pounce him and taste his flesh. “No, no,” he said cautiously. “I said _outgrow_ , as in… hmm… maybe they shrunk?”

“Jeans loosen up with time, they don’t shrink, Hugo,” she hissed. Then she felt a sudden feeling of misery pervading her and her eyes filled with tears. “You think I’m fat!” she sobbed. “You think I’m becoming a whale and that you’ll have to move back to your old room because I’m going to take up all the space in the bed with my gigantic body and if I move at night I’ll crush you to death and I won’t even notice!” Then she started to downright cry, hiding her face into her hands as tears poured over the corner of her eyes.

“Oh my God!” exclaimed Hugo. “How did you even get there? That’s craziest thing I’ve ever heard!”

She lowered her hands and glared at him through her tears. “And now you even think I’m crazy!”

“I didn’t say you’re crazy, I said that what you said is crazy!” he protested, taking a step towards her. “Lily,” he added patiently. “Clearly, this thing is making you sick. Please, you have to go to St Mungo’s. Maybe it’s just a stupid virus, and I’m sure that Dom will give you a potion and you’ll be as good as new in a matter of hours.” He smiled gently at her and Lily felt suddenly rather happy all of a sudden.

“Alright,” she conceded, drying her tears and finally smiling up at him. “Yes, you’re right. I should go.” She stepped towards him and fitted her body under his arms, letting him squish her so good against his chest. “I wish you’d come with me,” she sighed. “To keep me company while I wait.”  

“Believe me,” he whispered. “If I could, I would, but—”

“I know. The big match against the Bats,” she murmured. “I’m so mad at Oliver Wood. His crazy training schedule is getting in the middle of the Hugo-Lily cuddle time.” She tilted her head back and looked at him with her best impression of a stray puppy. “But you won’t be late to the party tonight, will you?” she asked anxiously. “Remember that my mum is organising it and that—”

“I’d rather throw myself into a tank filled with piranhas than be late to the party of the century,” he said reassuringly.

After seven years with him, Lily could still feel the butterflies in her stomach every time he said something like that to her. “Aww, Hugo,” she murmured before starting to cry again.

“Oh God,” whispered Hugo. “Tell me that these are happy tears, please.”

She hiccupped a couple of sobs that turned into giggles. “Happy tears,” she assured him. “The happiest tears in the world.”

***

Breakfast was finally had at the table in their kitchen, but before they could actually sit down and have all the delicious dishes that Hugo had prepared – there were pancakes with strawberry jam and whipped cream, mini frittatas with mushrooms, scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, and even a banana covered in ice-cream and chocolate sauce – Lily threw up another time, she cried because she had ruined her breakfast and now they had to share what Hugo had made for himself, and then she had stared at Rufus’ empty bed from the kitchen chair for long minutes.

“He’s been kidnapped,” she sighed disconsolately.

“He hasn’t, Lily,” said Hugo as he made more pancakes and threw them in the air. “I’m sure he’s out there, having the time of his life with some sassy she Kneazle, like last spring. You know that he goes a bit crazy when he’s in heat.”

Lily sighed again. She brought her cup of tea to her lips and took a generous sip of the beverage that should heal all ailments. “It’s May, Hugo,” she reminded him. “Heating season is back in March or April tops.” She shook her head miserably. “He’s been kidnapped. I just know.”

“Why would they kidnap that ball of fur, Lily?” asked Hugo cheerfully. “Five minutes with him and they’d send him back straight away.”

Lily looked from his jolly face to the pancakes he had placed in front of her. They were shaped like animals and she felt suddenly rather warm and fuzzy inside as she stared at them. She smelled them tentatively and when she was sure that she wasn’t going to be sick anymore, she finally took a bite. It was mouth-watering.

“Hmm,” she sighed delighted.

“Good?” asked Hugo with a grin.

“Delicious,” she assured him. “You’re the best boyfriend ever.”

He placed his hands over the table, stretched himself forward, and pursed his lips as he leant in for a quick peck on her lips. She surprised him by cupping his cheeks and deepening the kiss until he groaned against her mouth.

“Merlin,” he breathed as she tilted her head back and smiled at him. “I wish I didn’t have to go to work today.” He leant in for another kiss. “I wish I could stay home with you all day.”

“Me, too,” she whispered.

He grinned and finally withdrew as her hands slipped from his face. He sat on the chair across from her. “After the match with the Ballycastle Bats,” he said, “I promise that I’ll take you away for the most romantic weekend we’ve ever spent.” 

“I can barely wait,” she grinned. “Are you sure you can’t tell me where we’re going?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?” he pointed out.

“I suppose not,” she sighed. “But what if I promise to act surprised?” She opened her mouth and her eyes wide, in the best imitation of surprise that she could muster.

He tutted in disapproval.

“Nope,” he replied. “I want to see your real surprised face.” He grinned. “And I can barely wait.”

Lily smiled back at him, she brought another piece of pancake covered in whipped cream and jam to her mouth and then, suddenly, she sighed. “But what if, when we go away for the awesome weekend, Rufus comes back? Or worse, what if his kidnappers send us a note?”

“Lily, he hasn’t been kidnapped,” said Hugo, “and if he comes back and doesn’t find us, he’ll go over at Scorpius and Rose’s flat. He knows the way.”

“Of course he’s been kidnapped, Hugo!” she protested. “Do you remember what happened to McLaggen’s Crup two years ago?”

Hugo groaned at the thought. “I do,” he replied. “But seriously, I don’t think—”

“That horrible girl pretended to have found the Crup wandering about,” Lily reminded him. “And when she brought him back to John, she slipped him a Love Potion that had him going all sort of crazy, in and out of the pitch.”

“I know,” sighed Hugo. “But Hannah Montgomery still has that restraining order that your dad issued himself and can’t get closer than 300 feet to me. And since her episode three years ago, I haven’t had any other incident with… hem… enthusiastic fans.”

“ _Enthusiastic fans_?” Lily repeated coldly. “Those are batshit crazy individuals.”

“Yeah, they are,” agreed Hugo.

“So you agree that our Kneazle might have been kidnapped?” asked Lily lightly. “By one of your crazy fans.”

“He might,” conceded Hugo. “Maybe we should ask your dad to investigate.”

Lily darkened slightly. “Last time, he complained that I was unreasonable and that he’s just a Kneazle and that he was surely going to be back by himself,” she reminded him. “And then he was insufferable when Rufus came home two days later.”

Hugo shook his head and checked the time on the Grandfather Clock in the corner. “Listen, I have to go,” he said, standing up. “But we should definitely bring it up tonight at your party. You could ask him to investigate as your birthday present.”

Lily’s lips parted in surprise. “That’s a great idea!” she exclaimed cheerfully.

“You sound surprised,” murmured Hugo with an amused grin over his lips. He lowered his head and kissed her gently. “I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

“The party is at six,” she reminded him. “I’ll see you at five, here, alright?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I can’t wait to give you my present.”

She giggled and kissed him again. “I can’t wait to see you…”

“Likewise, birthday girl.” He kissed her nose and finally straightened his back; he stole a piece of pancake and tossed it in his mouth as he made his way towards the door, whistling Happy Birthday as he did.

***

The chairs in the waiting room at St Mungo’s were uncomfortable and harsh against Lily’s lower back. Lily had spent a good ten minutes trying to find a less painful position than the one she was in right now, until she accidentally directed her glance over her bare ankles and stared in a panic.

Had they always been that swollen? Oh, God! She couldn’t even see her bones! They looked like Grandma Molly’s ankles when she stood for too long in the kitchen! Oh, God! Was she getting old? Was she getting old and fat? On the day of her twenty-fifth birthday?

Why, oh, why! What a cruel world it was!

“Miss Potter?” said a young and pretty Healer that surely didn’t have ankles the size of two watermelons. “Healer Foray will see you, now.”

Lily smiled miserably at the girl and stood up, wondering if she would fall over because of her new elephant-like feet, or if, instead, she would only be more stable.

But she couldn’t really feel much of a difference as she made her way into her cousin’s office.

“Well, well, well,” said Dominique, standing up from behind her desk and going to squeeze Lily into a hug. “If it isn’t our favourite birthday girl!” She smiled gently at her. “Happy birthday, Lily! How do you feel to have finally turned twenty-five?”  

Lily looked disconsolately at her. “I think I’m about to die,” she whispered, her voice already shaky. “I feel awful.”

Dominique stepped back and looked attentively at her, probably evaluating her physical appearance with a Healer eye. “You don’t look _that_ bad to me,” she finally said, her tone grave, though. “In fact, you have quite a nice glow on your cheeks.”

Lily smiled gratefully at her, even though she was sure that Dominique was lying to make her feel better. “Thank you,” she sighed, “but I have a list of inexplicable symptoms that surely mean that I’m about to kick the bucket.”

Dominique took a deep breath, then turned, and gestured for her to sit on the comfortable chair opposite her desk.

“Aren’t you going to visit me?” asked Lily slightly disappointed.

“In a moment,” replied Dominique as she sat on her chair and looked at Lily. “First, tell me everything about these symptoms you’re experiencing.”

She nodded and finally plopped herself down on the plush chair. Dominique uncorked an inkbottle and dunk in her quill, then looked at her expectantly.

Lily drew in a deep breath. “Shall I start from the beginning?”

“Please.”

“Alright,” sighed Lily. “I have nausea.”

Dominique nodded and took note. “All day long?” she asked. “Does it impair your ability of sitting down and eating properly? When was the last time you had a proper meal?”

“No, no,” she hurried to reply. “Not all day. Just in the morning, when I wake up, the first thing I smell makes me retch the content of my stomach. And sometimes I don’t even have to smell anything at all.”

Dominique furrowed her brow. “Only in the morning then? Then it goes away?”

Lily nodded. “I’ve been taking the Pepperup Potion after breakfast, and then it completely disappears,” she went on.

“Why are you taking the Pepperup Potion?” asked Dominique. “That’s for colds and the flu. Are you feeling like you’re coming down with something?”

“No,” replied Lily thoughtfully. “But Aunt Muriel always says that the Pepperup Potion can cure anything, from a broken nail to Scrofulungus.”

“She also swears that her wardrobe is infested with the spirit of her dead Kneazle and that her green tea towel talks to her on a daily basis, Lily,” pointed out Dominique. “If you’re only being nauseous, then the Pepperup Potion doesn’t help.”

“But I do feel better once I take it,” she pointed out. “And it always makes me hungry…”

“The two things are probably unrelated, though. Your nausea might manifest only in the morning,” said Dominique. “But tell me about this hunger. Are you eating more? Less? Roughly the same amount than before?”

Lily’s shoulders hunched forward. “I’ve been eating like a famish Hippogriff,” she admitted. “Hugo made me an awesome birthday breakfast this morning, but he had to leave while we were eating and I… I just finished everything. _Everything_. And then I dug out some salami from the fridge and spread marmalade on it and eat it with hot chocolate on the side.”

“Interesting,” murmured Dominique, taking more notes.

“And don’t tell this to Hugo, but I finished the family packet of crisps that he bought two days ago. All by myself,” she sighed, blushing.

“I see,” said Dominique. “And have you noticed any change in your body?”

Lily closed her eyes and leant back against the chair, raising a leg until it was right in front of Dominique’s face. “You mean like this?” she sighed.

Some long seconds passed before Dominique spoke again. “What am I looking for exactly?” she asked unsurely.

“My ankles!” snapped Lily, opening her eyes again to glare at her cousin. “They are the size of a troll’s leg!”

“Alright,” said Dominique slowly. “Swollen ankles. Anything else?”

“I couldn’t button up my favourite jeans, yesterday,” she confessed feebly, bringing down her leg again. “And Hugo thinks I’m fat.”

Dominique cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. “Did he say that?”

“Not really, but he thinks it,” she assured her. “He thinks I’m becoming a whale.”

“That doesn’t sound like Hugo at all,” pointed out Dominique. “What were his exact words?”

Lily took a deep breath, she couldn’t believe that she had to relive such a terrible moment of her life. “That I’ve outgrown my favourite jeans,” she whispered.

Dominique nodded seriously. “Interesting,” she said again, writing some more notes on her parchment.

“Interesting? Shouldn’t you say _horrible_?” asked Lily outraged.

“Horrible,” she agreed without much conviction at all. “Now, were you regular this month?”

Lily furrowed her brow in concentration as she tried to remember her past month. “Well,” she started. “I wasn’t, but I’ve read that it’s normal when you suddenly do some strenuous physical activity.”

Dominique looked at her surprised. “Oh, you’ve taken up a sport? Has Hugo finally managed to make you play Quidditch with him?”

“Quidditch,” huffed Lily. “I don’t have time for Quidditch, and I’m too old for that.”

“You’re twenty-five—”

“Anyway, I’ve already told you about it,” said Lily irritably. “You don’t listen to me. Nobody ever listens to me!” She sniffled loudly and grabbed one of the tissues from the box on Dominique’s desk.

When she looked at her cousin, she was still writing on the parchment.

“Well?” asked Lily gruffly.

Dominique looked at her and smiled. “I remember you telling me that you’ve started doing yoga before bed.”

“Exactly!” said Lily. “Half an hour of yoga every evening.”

“And that would be the strenuous physical activity you’re doing?” asked Dominique slowly.

Lily raised her chin in the air. “Yoga is much more exhausting than what people think,” she pointed out sourly. “And I do from ten to twenty minutes every day.”

“You said half an hour a moment ago.”

Lily shrugged a shoulder. “Well, the session would be half an hour long,” she said, “but Hugo always interrupts me. He says that some poses make him all hot and bothered and then we just end up on my yoga mat, with his hands all over my—”

Dominique raised a hand in front of Lily’s face. “Lily, you’re oversharing again,” she interrupted her. “Remember? We talked about that.”

“But you’re my Healer! I thought you had to know these things.”

“Yes, but you’re also my cousin,” said Dominique.

“So? You always listen to Rose or Roxy or—”

“I misspoke, sorry. I’m also your _boyfriend’s_ cousin,” said Dominique calmly. “Anyway, I think I have enough pieces of information to get to the bottom of what’s bothering you, but a quick visit and a few tests will erase all doubts.”

Lily swallowed loudly. “Is it something serious?” she asked anxiously.

“Well, it is serious,” said Dominique. “But it’s not necessarily something bad.”

“Is it curable?”

“No,” she replied calmly, as she stood up and gestured for Lily to approach the visiting table. “But it’ll go away by itself.”

“How long will it take it?” groaned Lily.

Dominique furrowed her brow in concentration. “In your case? I’d say from seven to seven and half months,” she replied.

“ _That_ long?” gasped Lily.

Dominique nodded. “Now, undress and lie back. I promise this will be quick and painless.”

***

Lily stopped at Florean Fortescue’s for a Chocolate Frog and Barbecued Sausage ice-cream on her way to the Prophet. The best thing was that Ernie Macmillan knew that it was her birthday and he didn’t let her pay.

Dominique’s visit had really been painless and quick. Her cousin had touched her stomach and remarked on its slightly swollen state, causing Lily to burst into tears. Then she had Lily spitting in a cup and told her she would conduct some tests, and invited her to stick around for the results. But Lily said she’d be back in the afternoon. After all, she did have a job to get to.

She walked into the Prophet with a grin over her face, feeling suddenly rather happy for Merlin knew what reason. But after all, the sun was shining in the sky, the ice-cream was delicious – especially the Barbecued Sausage – and the moment she set foot inside the newsroom, all her fellow journalists crowded around her.

“Happy birthday, Lily!”

“You look radiant today.”

“Have you read the Prophet? Don’t bother, honey. It’s your birthday, don’t ruin it with… hem… work.”

“Potter, happy birthday and many happy returns!”

“Lily! I can’t wait for tonight’s party!”

She smiled brightly and thanked everybody, hugging them back and receiving more kisses on her cheeks than she had in the past two months. Someone squeezed her tightly, someone even started crying, and Lily was a bit surprised and rather pleased that her birthday was taken so seriously that year.

When she had received happy birthday wishes from everybody, she finally managed to make her way to Lavender’s office.

She knocked distractedly as she balanced the half-melted ice-cream in one hand and tried to rummage through her bag to find the letters with the other.

“Come in,” said Lavender from the other side of the door.

“Hey, Lav,” said Lily as she finally fished out the letters and walked inside. “I got the replies you asked me. Hugo and I both agree: the reverse Quidditch player position is the best sex we—oh, hello, Derek.”

“Lily!” exclaimed Lavender as she stood from her chair and hurried to her. “Oh, my God, Lily!”

Lily furrowed her brow as Lavender threw her arms around her neck, obscuring her sight with a cloud of blond curls. “I am so sorry, hon. I can’t believe it! Oh, my God!”

“Lily,” said Derek the moment Lavender released her from the bone-crushing hug. “Happy birthday. I’m so, so sorry.” He hugged her tightly and rubbed his hands all over her back.

“Oh, it’s your birthday, too, that’s right!” sighed Lavender. “Oh, that Skeeter woman! I can’t believe that she waited up until today to give the article to Mike! What an evil hag!”

Lily blinked from Derek to Lavender, unable to understand what they were talking about. The ice-cream had melted down all over her hand, but it was now completely forgotten as she focused on what they were saying. “What… Guys, what are you on about?” she asked. “Did she publish another article on her supposed investigations on my family? Who’s my father this week?” She smiled reassuringly at them; Rita Skeeter’s attempts at gossip were simply ridiculous.

Lavender let out a loud whine and grabbed the hand that was not covered in ice-cream. She patted it between hers as she guided Lily towards her chair. “You haven’t seen it, yet, have you?” she sighed. “Oh, my darling. I never thought that this could ever happen.”

“Yeah, I still have my reservations,” said Derek as he came to stand next to Lily. “I know Hugo, and he isn’t that kind of person.”

“What…” Lily was rather confused now, her head jerking from side to side as she looked at them. “What are you talking about?”

Lavender took a deep breath and finally closed the Prophet over which both she and Derek had poured until the moment Lily had arrived.

There, on the front page, under the gigantic title that announced that Hugo Weasley had been sighted with a girl, they had printed the ginormous picture of a part of Diagon Alley where, right in the middle, Hugo and a mysterious young lady were walking with their arms linked, laughing jovially and whispering to one other. They looked happy and even though the picture only showed a few seconds of their stroll before repeating the scene in a loop, Lily could already tell that there was chemistry between the two of them.

In the photo, Hugo was wearing the new blue shirt Lily had gotten for him two weeks before, so the picture couldn’t have been excessively old. He smiled and nodded to something the girl was saying, then he pointed towards a shop and they disappeared out of the frame, only to reappear on the other side and start all over again.

Lily’s narrowed eyes focused on the girl at his side. She was short and looked plump. Her dark brown hair was a disgusting nest of unkempt curls and Lily decided that those things on her face had to be pimples, and were definitely not freckles. She was ugly and fat and… and… and her clothes were at least a decade old.

“I’m so sorry,” Lavender kept repeating. “I’m so sorry.”

Lily blinked at the picture on the newspaper. It was now covered in melted ice-cream fallen from the cone and she had to find her wand and mutter a Cleaning Spell before she could keep glaring at Hugo and the girl.

She raised her eyes on Derek. “Where’s Rita Skeeter?” she asked, unsurprised to hear her voice shaky with anger and despair.

“She left for Edinburgh this morning,” he replied disconsolately. “Apparently, she’s gathering information for her new book: _Rubeus Hagrid: Half-Giant or Half-Troll_?”

“That horrible woman!” screeched Lavender. “We need to ask your father to fire her, Derek.”

“I know, Lavender. But the last petition everybody signed mysteriously disappeared.”

Lily’s eyes lowered once again on the picture before her. She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t. Hugo had made her breakfast that morning. He had kissed her awake. He had told her that he’d take her on a romantic weekend after the last match of the season. He had stayed with her and comforted her while she was sick. Could they all be lies? All these things?

Lily’s eyesight blurred suddenly with tears, and then Lavender’s office was filled with her crying and the loud toc-toc’s of her tears on the newspaper.

“Oh, God!” murmured Lavender, patting her back. “No, Lily. No, darling, don’t worry. I’m sure it’s all a big misunderstanding.”

“It’s not a misunderstanding,” she sobbed. “Hugo is cheating on me!”

“Out of the question,” stated Derek. “This girl is ugly. Will you look at her, Lily? She looks like a toad with a wig, and Hugo has excellent taste. I mean he—”

“Hugo is cheating on me with an ugly girl!” she sobbed even louder.

“What?” asked Derek, taken aback. “No, no. I’m sure he isn’t. He loves you. Doesn’t he, Lavender?”

“Absolutely!” exclaimed Lavender in her sweetest tone, the one she reserved for Mr Quills when she was about to ask for a raise. “Last time I saw him, he kept talking about you, darling.”

Lily sniffled loudly. “When was the last time you saw him?” she asked dejectedly.

“Hem… I think… the Christmas party here at the Prophet?” she asked unsurely. “He was all over you, honey.”

Lily buried her face in her hands. “He was sick last Christmas and he couldn’t come,” she sobbed. “I was here all alone.”

“No, Lily, no,” said Derek, patting her back gently. “Lavender meant the Christmas before. Right, Lavender?”

“Yes,” replied Lavender hastily. “Or the one before that.”

Lily sniffled again. She accepted a tissue that Lavender offered her and blew her nose loudly in it. “Hugo is cheating on me because I’m getting fat,” she wept. “He said it this very morning.”

“He did what? How dares he?” thundered Lavender.

“You’re not getting fat, Lily. That’s mental,” said Derek, crouching down to look into her teary eyes. “You’re gorgeous.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “A wonderful young lady.” He smiled tenderly at her. “And remember that you’re the reason why I’m having my first exhibit this summer.”

She smiled back at him as she dried her tears. “And the person who introduced you to Julia,” she reminded him.

He nodded. “And my daughter’s godmother,” he added, brushing his finger gently against her nose.

She sighed, thinking about little Daphne who was only two and probably the most spoilt little girl ever, thanks to Lily. “I need to go and talk to my mum,” she finally said. “Maybe… maybe there’s a simple explanation about this and she knows it…” She gestured towards the photo in front of her, where Hugo and the mysterious _ugly_ girl were smiling and whispering secrets to each other.

Lily could imagine perfectly well what they were saying:

“ _Have you told that simpleton of your girlfriend that you had trainings again, today, my sweet Pudgy Pops?”_

_“Oh yes, she doesn’t even imagine that I’m here with you, my little Snuggle Sausage.”_

_“Aww, Flubber Cheeks! Let’s go and have an ice-cream, now, because I’m not fat enough!”_

_“No matter how much ice-cream you eat, Cookie Pops **,** you’re always going to be thinner than Roly-Poly Potter!”_

“I’m sure there is a simple explanation,” said Lavender, snapping Lily out of her musings. “And I’m sure your mother knows it.”

“Yes,” replied Derek. “Your mother knows everything.”

Lily blinked angry tears out of her eyes. “Yeah,” she said, voice throaty. “She does.” She took a deep breath and blew her nose again. “Thank you, guys,” she said weakly.

“No problem, love,” said Lavender, hugging her again in her strong embrace. “And happy birthday again! I can’t wait for the party tonight!”

“Yes, Lily,” said Derek cheerfully. “Daphne can’t wait to give you your present. She picked it up herself, for her favourite auntie.”

A ghost of a smile tugged at Lily’s lips and she nodded without being able to utter another word. She finally stood up and Derek walked her to the door with a hand under her arm, as if she was a patient of St Mungo’s in need of special care. In all honesty, she did feel like she ought to have gone back to the hospital at that very moment and ask Dominique to check and see if her little heart was broken beyond repair or if at least part of it could have been saved, maybe with lots of chocolate and puppies.

“Thank you,” she repeated as Derek let her arm go. “Thank you.”

“See you tonight,” said Lavender.

“We can’t wait for the party,” added Derek.

Lily nodded slowly, and finally turned away from them. She didn’t look forward to the party anymore – and to be honest, she had never looked forward to it. Her mother had insisted they’d organised a huge get-together just for her, because apparently twenty-five was an important number – “A quarter of a century!” – but Lily would have rather gone out with Hugo, had a romantic evening at their favourite restaurant, and then gone home early and spent the whole night sexing each other in their flat.

She darkened as she marched towards her mother’s office. Now, she wouldn’t have wanted to do that either, though. Now, she just wanted to go back home, crawl under her covers, Summon all the junk food that they had in their flat, and eat until she was sick.

She stopped in front of her mother’s door and knocked loudly.

Someone walked past her and she heard a whispered, “Poor Potter,” just as her mother told her to come in.

“Mum!” she called her whiningly as she walked inside. “I’m having the worst day of my life!”

Her mother seemed rather surprised by her loud outburst. She jerked her head towards Lily and looked at her with eyes wide. Then she hurried to cover whatever she was working on with a generous pile of parchment before finally standing up and going to Lily.

“Happy birthday, my darling!” she said cheerfully. “How does it feel to be twenty-five?”

Lily glared over her mother’s shoulder as she embraced her tightly in her arms. “I told you I’m having the worst day of my life, so not too well, don’t you think?”

“Marvellous, pumpkin, marvellous,” replied her mother distractedly, as she withdrew and looked down at her sweetly. “So, everything’s ready for tonight? Are you going to wear the blue dress that you showed me?”

Lily’s jaw dropped. “Mum, I don’t want to talk about the party,” she pointed out sourly. “Haven’t you seen today’s issue?”

“Yes,” she replied warmly. “Your article on the Harpies made me tear up, darling. Such a loving tribute to Gwenog, she would have loved it.”

Lily shook her head. “Not my article, Mum. Haven’t you seen the front page?” she snapped. Although, it felt good to be praised for a job well done.

“I haven’t,” she replied truthfully. “Did you end up on the front page?” she asked. “Oh, Merlin! Did Quills printed your birthday wishes at the very top this year, too?”

Lily’s nostrils flared. She glared at her mother and shook her head. “There’s a picture of—”

A memo in the shape of a Phoenix flew right in front of Lily’s face and its paper wings flapped in her eyes as it spluttered out a cascade of paper confetti.

“Hey!” she protested, pushing it away.

Her mother grabbed it in mid-air and turned around, unfolding it quickly and humming as she skimmed through the message.

“Mum! Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes, Lily, of course, I’m listening. Keep going, honey.” She didn’t even turn. She just grabbed a quill and scribbled something quickly on a piece of parchment.

“As I was saying, there’s a picture of—”

“Lily.” She finally turned to look at her daughter. “Listen, pumpkin. How about you tell me all about it tonight at the party? I have to go and see Mr Quills right now, it’s very important.”

“More important than listening to me?” she protested.

“Yes.”

“On the day of my birthday?”

“Yes.”

Lily rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue to her mother, but her mother didn’t even notice, instead she scooped up a pile of parchment and gave Lily an affectionate pat on her head as she walked to the door.

“So, six o’clock,” said her mother while she locked the door at her back. “The Leaky Cauldron. Don’t be late, alright?”

Lily’s shoulders hunched forward. “Am I ever—”

“See you in a bit, sweetie.” Her mother waved over her shoulder without even turning and Lily felt suddenly so annoyed that she just stood there and stamped her foot on the floor without even noticing.

***

Lily had grabbed a copy of the Prophet on her way out. She did have some editing to do to her latest article on the Cannons, but it wasn’t anything difficult – they were coming last in the league, again, they were going bankrupt, again, they were selling all their players, again (an article that Uncle Ron wouldn’t have liked in the least, again) – and it wasn’t due until the weekend, so she was free to take some time off on that horrible (birth)day and do what she wanted.

She had gone back to Florean Fortescue’s to get another ice-cream – Canary Cream and Corned Beef Sandwich – and had sat on one of the chairs outside, finally reading the article carefully.

Apparently, Hugo Weasley, the famous Quidditch player from Puddlemere United, who had been romantically linked to the famous Assistant Quidditch Correspondent, Lily Luna Potter, who happened to be his first cousin, too, for the past seven years, had been spotted strolling leisurely with a brunette on Tuesday afternoon of the week before. He looked – in the words of Rita Skeeter – particularly happy to be in the company of his new lady friend. He didn’t seem to be missing his girlfriend at all, and they had visited a few shops, amongst which Flourish and Blotts, Florean Fortescue’s, The Gold Pot, and Quality Quidditch Supplies. Mr Weasley had bought the girl ice-cream and a book, and probably something else much more precious, since one of the shops they had visited, The Gold Pot, was a famous jeweller. The lucky girl had hugged the handsome player tightly towards the end of their walk, and then they had Disapparated together probably to a secret and romantic destination.

Lily closed the Prophet and sniffled disagreeably at the picture on the front page. She grabbed the pretty vase of flowers on the table and placed it right on top of the two of them. Then she sat back and attacked her ice-cream with renewed force, swallowing it without even waiting for it to melt in her mouth.

“Ouch!” she complained immediately, bringing a hand to her forehead. “Damn it!”

“You shouldn’t eat ice-cream that fast, Lily,” said Ernie Macmillan. “It freezes your brain when you do.”

“Thank you,” she growled. “I noticed that.”

“We’ve printed out new fidelity cards for this summer, Lily,” added Ernie cheerfully. “Would you like the usual five to start with? With all the ice-creams you and Hugo get in the summer, I don’t think—”

“Hugo!” she exclaimed, looking at Ernie.

“Yes, you two eat more ice-cream than all of my other clients combined.”

“No, I mean, Hugo! He’s been here, last Tuesday!”

“Has he?” asked Ernie. “I know for sure that you were both here two days ago. Getting the extra big sundae for two.” He winked at her. “Our couple cup.”

Lily rolled her eyes at the thought. “Yeah, but he was here last Tuesday, too, wasn’t he? Without me, with a brunette girl.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re probably right,” replied Ernie thoughtfully. “A polite girl with a lot of hair.”

“On her face?” asked Lily hopefully.

He shook his head. “On her head. Like this much.” He opened his hands wide and showed her what resembled the cap of a giant mushroom. “But she was sweet, and she got the same exact flavours that Hugo usually gets.”

“Strawberry Jam and Canary Cream?” she asked feebly. How could that mysterious woman already like the same flavours as Hugo? Or maybe she was just pretending to like them to impress Hugo?

“Those ones,” replied Ernie. “Actually, do you want a little take-away cup for him? It’s on the house.”

Lily pouted. “No,” she replied darkly. “I don’t want anything for Hugo. Ta very much.” She stood up and gathered the newspaper and her bag, took a few steps towards the street before stopping again and turning towards Ernie. “Actually, now that I think about it, a take-away cup for Hugo would be swell. Thank you, Ernie.”

***

When Lily knocked on Rose’s door, she was definitely ready to throw up.

“Coming, coming—oh! Lily! Happy birthday, dear!” exclaimed Rose as she opened the door. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning!” Her eyes travelled up and down Lily’s face. “Oh, golly. You don’t look too good.”

“I’m feeling sick,” she replied as she walked inside. “I should warn you that I could throw up any second.” She stopped and hiccupped a burp. “Pardon me,” she mumbled before going towards the kitchen.

“You’re still feeling sick?” asked Rose as she followed her cousin. “I told you to go to St Mungo’s.”

“I’ve been to St Mungo’s this morning,” replied Lily, plopping heavily on a chair. “But I think that right now it might be because I had three cups of ice-cream.”

Rose waved her wand towards the teapot, and it started to make some fresh tea. “Three cups today? But it’s barely eleven in the morning!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “Well, I suppose that since it’s your birthday, you’re allowed to do something crazy…” She looked at Lily, surveying her face once more, and added, “But you do look ghastly, now.”

Lily pouted and pointed a finger at her cousin. “You have vomit on your t-shirt, cereal in your hair, something brown on your sweatpants that I don’t know what it is but I hope it’s not what I think it is, and drool all over your chin.”

Rose raised her chin as she went to retrieve the two cups of tea that she had magically brewed. “The joys of being a mother,” she replied sourly. “And this brown stuff is chocolate. Thank you very much, Lily. I had a snack while I was breastfeeding.”

“I need chocolate, too, Rose,” whined Lily. “Lots of it.”

“Chocolate?” asked Rose as she placed a cup in front of Lily. “I thought Hugo had managed to make you give up—and I quote— _anything unhealthy and fattening, in favour of a balanced and healthy diet that makes you feel better_.”

Lily glared at Rose. “Yes, but that was before I found out that your brother was cheating on me,” she replied coolly.

Rose’s cup of tea ended up on the floor with a loud crash. Her blue eyes were wide as she stared at Lily and her mouth was equally rounded in a surprised expression. “What?” she asked hoarsely. “Out of the question.”

Lily raised her chin and fished out the newspaper from her bag. She flattened it on the table and pushed it towards Rose. “Look for yourself,” she said sourly. “In Diagon Alley, in broad daylight, last Tuesday. With an ugly girl.”

Rose grabbed the newspaper to examine the picture attentively. Lily was pleased to see her cousin’s face drain of all colour while she stared at Hugo and this girl.

“Ugly?” rasped out Rose, looking at Lily. “Ugly?” 

Lily nodded and leant her head over her hands. “Appallingly ugly,” she sighed. “He’s cheating on me with an appallingly ugly hag.”

“Appallingly ugly?” screeched Rose. “What? I mean, she’s not… she’s not that ugly at all, in my humble opinion.”

Lily glared at her. “She’s covered in pimples!”

“They’re clearly freckles,” replied Rose, placing the newspaper back on the table and tapping on the girl’s cheeks.

“She looks like she’s just come out of the jungle,” snapped Rose. “Look at her hair!”

“It’s the cutest mass of curls I’ve ever seen.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “And believe me, I’ve seen lots.”

“She’s fat!”

“She’s just slightly curvy,” stated Rose, folding her arms across her chest.

Lily’s lower lip trembled as her eyes filled with tears. “Why are you defending her?” she whined. “She’s just stolen my boyfriend.”

Rose cocked her head. “Oh Lily,” she sighed. “She clearly hasn’t. They look more like… I don’t know… siblings. He certainly doesn’t look like he’s interested in her _that_ way.”

“Siblings?” snapped Lily. “How can they look like siblings? I’ve never even seen this girl! If they looked like siblings they’d have to be friends for ages! How can you even—”

“I’m sorry,” sighed Rose. “I meant good friends?”

“Good friends?” repeated Lily in a high-pitched voice. “Then why would he lie to me and go out with this girl if they’re just good friends? Why wouldn’t he tell me that he’s gone out with a friend?”

“He lied to you?” asked Rose, furrowing her brow.

“Yes! He said he was training on Tuesday afternoon! And evidently, he wasn’t,” snapped Lily, gesturing towards the picture. “He was having fun with someone else.” She sniffled loudly. “He was having fun with another girl. He was cheating on me.”

“He wasn’t!”

“He was!” Lily hid her face in her arms and started to sob loudly. “He was and… and you don’t care… just because he’s your brother and you always take his side… even when he cheats on me… and you always say that I’m your best friend!”

“No, he wasn’t cheating on you, Lils,” said Rose gently, patting her cousin’s back and caressing her hair. “And I can tell you perfectly well how I—”

“Rose, Nicholas is screaming his lungs out and—oh, hello Lily.” Scorpius was carrying his crying son in his arms as he walked into the kitchen. “Hey! Happy birth—you alright?”

Lily sniffled and looked up at Scorpius. He looked just as dishevelled as Rose did; he had dried food all over his shoulder and chocolate on his t-shirt. On the other hand, the baby was red-faced and his tuft of curly blond hair was in disarray over his head. “I’m not,” she whined over the screaming of the baby. “I’m about to become a single lady. On the day of my birthday.”

“You’re what?” asked Scorpius as he rocked his son without much conviction. “No way. You’re breaking up with Hugo? Like… _what_?” He turned towards Rose. “Rose, can’t you feed him? He’s about to make my eardrums burst.”

Rose rolled her eyes and stretched her arms towards the crying baby. “I’ve just fed him, Scorpius,” she replied dryly. “He evidently needs to be changed.” She inhaled deeply and wrinkled her nose. “And I can’t believe that you can’t smell him.”

Scorpius smiled awkwardly at his wife. “Oh, alright, I think I got a bit of a cold, that’s why I couldn’t smell him… But now that you’re holding him, you should definitely go ahead and change him.” His smile became brighter and he added, “Love.”

Rose glared at him, then turned away and Lily could hear her say, “Nicholas Ronald Draco Malfoy, I swear that you always seem to know when to interrupt the most important moments…” as she was taking him to the bathroom.

“So,” said Scorpius as he sat opposite to Lily. “What nonsense are you on?” He sipped from Rose’s cup and added, “I’ve never seen anybody more sickishly in love than you and Hugo. What happened?”

Lily pushed the newspaper towards Scorpius and hid her face in her arms again. “That’s what happened,” she mumbled against her forearm. “He’s been cheating on me, and I don’t even know for how long.”

“Oh, Merlin,” muttered Scorpius as he turned the pages to go and read the article in the gossip column.

“I know, right?” sighed Lily. She looked hopefully at her cousin’s husband. “And she’s ugly, isn’t she, Scorpius?”

Scorpius hummed distractedly, seemingly too engrossed in the article.

“Here you go,” said Rose, as she came back with a now very calm Nicholas in her arms. “All ready to go back to bed, if your dad will take you.”

Scorpius nodded, but he kept his eyes on the paper, not really showing any sign of wanting to get up and take his son anywhere at all.

“Now, Scorpius.”

“Yeah, yeah, let me get to the end of this,” he replied, weaving a hand in the air. “This is crazy.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Lily nodded enthusiastically. Finally, someone who was showing a bit of support to her. “He’s horrible.”

“Yeah,” replied Scorpius, nodding seriously. “You think you know someone…”

“Scorpius, your son!” snapped Rose, tapping a foot on the floor.

“One second, Rose, this is important.”

“And your son isn’t?”

“Oh, come on, Rosie,” coaxed Lily. She stood up and went to her, grabbing the baby from her cousin’s arms. “Leave Scorpius in peace,” she said softly. “He’s getting to know a side of his brother-in-law that he didn’t know it existed.” Lily sat back on the chair and turned little Nicholas in her arms. “Your uncle is a horrible human being,” she said seriously. “Yes, he is. A horrible human being who has cause your ex-aunt to go through indescribable pain.”

“Ex-aunt?” asked Rose.

“Yes, I don’t think I should be his aunt anymore,” she said seriously. “I think I should only be his second cousin from now on.”

“Oh, Lily—”

“Wait! What were you saying?” she asked suddenly, looking up at Rose with eyes narrowed to two slits.

Rose sighed. “Nothing, I was just saying, _Oh, Lily_ , as in—”

“No, before,” she said seriously. “You said that you could tell me perfectly well how you knew that he hasn’t been cheating on me.”

Rose’s mouth rounded in surprise. “Oh, right… I said that, didn’t I?”

Lily hugged her cousin’s son to her chest. “Yes,” she replied sourly. “So?”

“Well…” Rose bit down hard on her bottom lip and looked from Lily to Scorpius’ head. He was still pouring over the Prophet, but now he was looking attentively at the picture. “Scorpius, can you put your son down for his nap?”

“In a moment, Rose,” replied Scorpius gruffly. “And he’s already falling asleep in Lily’s arms, if we move him now, he’s going to wake up and wreak havoc on the house.”

“Well?” Lily urged Rose on. “Why are you so sure he isn’t cheating?”

“Scorpius. Your son, now!”

“In a moment!”

“Rooose!”

“Scorpius!”

“Wait a second!”

“Scorpius, I said—”

The loud swish of the Floo cut off whatever Rose was about to say. “Hello? Is anybody home?”

Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, and Lily couldn’t tell if she was relieved or annoyed that they had been interrupted again. “In the kitchen, Dom,” she replied out loud.

“Ah, I thought I’ve heard some voices,” replied Dominique cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen. “Lily! Finally, there you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

“Oh, God!” wailed Lily. “Why? Why would you look for me everywhere? Is it bad news? You don’t look for someone everywhere if it’s good news, do you? Oh, God!”

“What? Is it bad news?” asked Rose alarmed. “From her visit at St Mungo’s this morning?”

“More bad news?” asked Scorpius seriously. “God, Lily. Today is not your day.”

“I know, right?” she sobbed suddenly, squeezing the sleeping baby to her chest. “I will never see my twenty-sixth birthday, will I?”

“What do you mean bad news?” asked Dominique, looking from one person to the other. “What happened?”

“Nothing hap—”

“Hugo is cheating on me!” sobbed Lily. “With an ugly girl!”

“Ugly, I don’t think—”

“She’s not that ugly, after all,” pointed out Scorpius. “She’s got something, to be honest.”

“You really think so?” asked Rose, a smile in her voice.

“Yeah. You’re still way prettier, but she’s not ugly…”

“I hate you!” whined Lily. “I hate all of you!”

“Wait! What? Hugo’s cheating on you? That’s… No, that’s just no.”

“Exactly, that’s what—”

“There’s the article,” pointed out Scorpius. “With a picture.”

“Yes, he’s cheating on me,” sniffled Lily. “And she’s ugly.”

Dominique leant her hands over the table and looked down at the picture on the front page, her jaw dropping as she looked at Hugo and the ugly girl walking happily down Diagon Alley. “Oh my…”

“It’s not what it looks like,” said Rose feebly.

“How can you say that?” sobbed Lily. “Why do you always take his side even when all proofs are against him?”

“Lily—”

“Oh, Merlin,” muttered Dominique as she skimmed through the article. “This is wrong.”

“No, it’s right,” said Lily, brushing away her tears angrily. “Alright. Tell me what you’ve come to tell me, Dominique. How long do I have to live?”

Dominique looked at her, eyes wide. “What?”

“I’m clearly dying,” said Lily stoically. “Or you wouldn’t be here.”

The kitchen in Rose and Scorpius’ flat was suddenly wrapped in a deafening silence while all eyes reverted on Dominique.

Dominique looked at Lily as if she was crazy. “You’re not dying, Lily,” she hurried to say.

“Then what is it?” asked Rose worriedly. “Is it serious?”

“Of course, it is,” said Lily, taking a deep breath. “Healers don’t come to your house unless it’s deadly serious.”

“Deadly?” asked Scorpius weakly.  

“It’s not serious,” said Dominique hastily. “I mean, it is serious, but it’s not… not bad. It’s good… or it was… I mean…”

“What is it?” asked Lily. “Just tell me, Dom. I’m ready.”

“Is it Dragon Pox?” asked Scorpius. “My great-grand father died of Dragon Pox, but I’ve heard that it’s curable, now.”

“It’s not Dragon Pox,” said Dominique impatiently. “Really, Lily, it’s better if I tell you tomorrow, or next week, just in case this—”

“Oh, God! Is it infective?” asked Rose, hurrying to retrieve her son from Lily’s arms.

“It’s not infective. Listen, guys, I don’t think that I should tell her here in front of everybody either. There’s the patient-Healer confidentiality—”

“No, I want them to hear,” said Lily, bravely holding back the tears. “I need them to hear. I need their support, and I want Rose and Scorpius to be my witnesses when I sign my will later this afternoon.”

“Oh, Lily,” said Rose, eyes filling rapidly with tears. “I’m just—”

“You’re not dying, Lily!” exclaimed Dominique exasperatedly.

“Then what is it?” she asked, stomping a foot on the floor in frustration. “Because this cannot—”

“You’re pregnant!” shouted Dominique. “You’re six weeks along and it’s a boy! There! Happy? I said it!”

A silence so thick descended upon them that, for a moment, it felt like the kitchen itself was holding its breath.

Lily was probably looking like a fish right now. Her eyes were about to pop out of her skull; her mouth was opening and closing without being able to form any kind of sound at all; she felt like she was incapable of breathing or creating any coherent thought.

She was _what_? She lowered her eyes on her stomach. She couldn’t be. There was no space for a baby there. It was still mostly flat-ish. Surely, she had just had too much ice-cream. She had to revise her diet once again. Probably all this healthy eating she was doing made her fat, and that had made Dominique believe that she was pregnant. And that she was pregnant with a boy. But she wasn’t. She was pregnant with ice-cream, surely.

“Lily?”

Lily blinked and looked at Rose, who was looking back at her with ill-concealed happiness.

Then Lily shook her head and looked at Dominique. “Out of the question,” she replied, voice high-pitched. “We’re _always_ very careful. Hugo _always_ does the spell. Like even when we just kiss he does the spell, because you never know with the Weasley genes.”

“You’re pregnant, Lily,” said Dominique, smiling gently. “With a healthy boy.”

“It’s impossible.”

“Wait,” said Scorpius suddenly. “What about the party after the Puddlemere vs Harpies match?”

Lily took a sharp breath as she glared at Scorpius. “How do you know?” she asked nervously. Blimey, she knew how he knew: Hugo. He must have babbled that embarrassing night to his brother-in-law.

“What happened?” asked Rose. “What did you do?”

Lily closed her eyes, feeling her cheeks on fire. She swallowed loudly and finally confessed, “We got so wasted that we woke up naked in the bathtub, I had hay in my hair, Hugo had a piercing on his nipple, and I had a tattoo on my butt.”

Nobody replied, but Lily didn’t open her eyes to look at them.

“So no spell was probably involved there,” chuckled Scorpius. “But I’ve heard the tattoo is quite _catchy_ …”

“Oh, my God,” whispered Rose. “I’m about to become an aunt.”

Lily finally opened her eyes to glare at both of them. But she wasn’t resolute enough and when she saw that Scorpius was grinning brightly at her and that Rose was tearing up, she just couldn’t help smiling weakly at their reactions.

“Oh, God,” she mumbled. “I’m pregnant.” Her hands finally splayed on her stomach. She could definitely feel the swell there, and something moving, and a little heart thumping gently, and love, she could definitely feel a lot of love coming from her tummy.

“You are,” said Dominique gently.

She smiled stupidly, and then she felt suddenly rather scared at the prospect. “Oh, God,” she muttered. “I’m pregnant and I’m going to be a single mother.”

There were gasps and shouts and people telling her that she was crazy. Nevertheless, she just pouted at their reactions.

“Hugo will be over the moon,” stated Rose. “He loves children. And a son? God, Lily. He’s going to feel like it’s _his_ birthday.”

“Exactly,” said Dominique seriously. “He’s probably going to go and get himself one of those stupid t-shirts that say _I made this_ with an arrow pointing to your belly, or _Yes, I’m the daddy_ , or something just as idiotic.”

Lily sat heavily back on the chair and caressed her stomach. “Or, he’s going to get one that says _I didn’t mean for this to happen, I was about to dump her anyway for an ugly girl_ ,” she muttered darkly. “This is going to trample his plans of a happy life with her.”

“Lily, you don’t—”

“I have to Floo Call James in Hawaii,” said Lily suddenly. “He’ll come back from his honeymoon to kill Hugo, won’t he? I mean, if I tell him that he knocked me up and cheated on me, he’s going to beat him to a pulp. Like he did before we even started dating.”

“Lily,” sighed Dominique. “You can’t Floo Call James.”

“Yeah, he’s really going to kill him,” agreed Scorpius. “I mean, would you want your son to be fatherless before he is even born?

“Better being fatherless than having a cheater who made his mother suffer for a father,” she replied sullenly. “Maybe Daddy will send him to Azkaban, though…”

“Lily, this is all a big misunderstanding,” said Rose kindly. “Hugo loves you beyond words, he’s not cheating on you, and there’s a perfectly normal explanation for this picture.”

“Which is?” asked Lily coolly, cocking an eyebrow.

Rose rocked her child back and forth and smiled awkwardly. “Well, I can’t really… like… I mean, maybe there’s a perfectly normal explanation… I mean I’m sure there is one, and you’re going to find it out so soon, and I’m sure you’ll laugh your belly off when you do… Yes, I can just imagine you laughing and laughing and laughing until you cry…”

“Or I’ll cry and cry and cry until I laugh,” she huffed, rubbing her hand all over her stomach.

“Hey, what if,” said Scorpius. “What if that’s like… I don’t know, a surprise for you, Lily?”

Lily’s nostrils flared. “It definitely is, Scorpius,” she replied dryly. “ _Surprise, Lily! This is my new girlfriend_.”

Scorpius shook his head. “No, what if she’s… I don’t know… an estate agent! And Hugo’s buying a house for you?”

Dominique’s grin split her face into two. “Boy, Lily, you’re going to feel guilty if that’s the case,” she giggled.

“Or what if she’s a jewel designer? And he’s asked to design the most beautiful ring that any wizard or witch has ever seen?” went on Scorpius. “And he’s about to ask you to marry him?”

“Scorpius!” snapped Rose in a heated whisper. “Stop it!”

But Lily’s heart was already melting a little at all those possibilities. She looked at the picture again. Hugo and the girl were walking and chatting, like they’ve been doing all morning, and the more Lily looked at them, the more she convinced herself that they didn’t have a work relationship, but certainly something more. They looked too close to one other.

She sighed and shook her head. “Thank you, guys,” she mumbled. “But it probably _is_ what it looks like.” She stood up, feeling rather unstable and tired. “I should go home now, have lunch and then…” She didn’t know, she didn’t really want to know either. She was ready to lie down for the upcoming seven and a half months, but that would probably be unhealthy for her child.

“No, no, no,” said Rose sternly. “You and Dom are staying for lunch. And you’re not going anywhere until you’re feeling better.”

Lily smiled weakly at her cousin. “Okay, but I should warn you, Rose: I’m not hungry at all.”

***

All right, Lily had probably been a bit hungry. She had a piece of lasagne, a slice of salmon with potatoes, a salad, and some ice-cream with whipped cream and warm chocolate sauce on top.

Well, she was pregnant, and she didn’t even feel guilty.

She finally went home the moment Nicholas had to go back to bed, even though Rose begged her to stay a bit longer. But she really felt like she had to lie down for a while, decide what to do with her life, maybe Floo Call her mother to let her know that a party was out of the question, today.

She used the Floo and, the moment she arrived in her living room, there was a loud and impatient knock on the door.

She sighed, threw her bag on a chair and placed the Prophet on the kitchen table, ready to show it to Hugo the moment he came home.

The knocking on the door became even more insistent and she muttered a, “Coming!” as she hastily went to open it.

Standing on Lily’s landing, and looking particularly angry and annoyed for only Merlin knew what reason, stood Mrs Bunny, the owner of Magical Menagerie. Lily knew her well because, apart from going to the shop to buy Rufus’ food every other week, the woman came to her flat when Rufus managed to sneak into the shop and get into trouble.

“Mrs Bunny,” said Lily tiredly. “Good afternoon.”

“Miss Potter,” barked the woman none-too-nicely. “I’m afraid there is nothing good about this afternoon.”

Lily took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to brace herself for whatever was coming. “I haven’t seen Rufus in a week,” she said. “So, whatever happened in your shop it surely isn’t his fault.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Lily. “You haven’t seen him for a week for a very good reason,” she snapped. She bent over and grabbed something that she had placed on the floor next to the wall, and then pushed it under Lily’s nose.

Lily blinked as Rufus’ yellow eyes looked at her from behind the bars of a grey cat carrier. The moment the Kneazle recognised her, he started to meow and stretch his plump paws through the bars.

“Rufus!” said Lily, as she fiddled with the door. “I missed you so much!”

She finally managed to open it and Rufus jumped in her arms with all his seventeen pounds of fur, flesh and joy. Lily grabbed him and squeezed him tight at her chest, feeling the tears coming to sting her eyes as she sunk her nose into his fur.

“I’m so happy to see you,” she sighed. “I so needed something good to happen today.” She rubbed between his ears as he licked her face happily.

Mrs Bunny cleared her throat loudly. “I hate to interrupt this reunion,” she said in a tone that let Lily know that she couldn’t care less about what she was interrupting. “But your very badly behaved Kneazle made an irreparable mess this time, and I’m definitely not going to let you off the hook easily, Miss Potter.”

Lily shifted Rufus in her arms and sighed. “Alright. How much do I owe you this time?”

Mrs Bunny’s nostrils flared dangerously. “Nothing,” she barked. “Your Kneazle got into my very respectable shop every night for the past two months and he got all of my females pregnant.”

Lily looked at Rufus and sighed. Oh God, he was a true Weasley.

Mrs Bunny glared at Lily. “And I now have more kittens than I know what to do with,” she went on. “And I’ll never manage to sell them all before they become young adults, and people don’t usually buy adults.”

“So?” asked Lily slowly. “You don’t want to put them to sleep, I hope.”

“Of course not,” huffed the woman. “But since the father has just spent a whole week hidden in my shop while he enjoyed the company and the food of his descendants, then…” She flicked her wand and a box with tall sides floated in front of Lily.

She and Rufus looked inside and Lily gasped at its content. “Wha—?” she asked, unable to form any coherent thought.

“Twenty-five kittens,” replied the woman dryly. “Barely half of what that monster has bred this year alone.” She flicked her wand again and the box landed at Lily’s feet.

Twenty-five kittens of all colours were cavorting one on top of the others, meowing cutely, sleeping in piles, and standing on their hind legs to look up at their daddy and at Lily.

Lily looked up at Mrs Bunny. “What are you doing?” she gasped.

“They’re rightfully yours,” she said firmly. “Your part of the brood as owner of the father.”

“What?” gasped Lily. “I can’t keep twenty-five kittens!”

“Well, I’m not taking them back,” replied the woman. “We don’t have enough room in the shop anymore, thanks to your horny Kneazle, Miss Potter.”

“But—”

“We’ll have to sell them as potion ingredients if you don’t take them.”

“What? But you just said—”

“We really can’t keep them, Miss Potter,” replied the woman curtly. “And it’s your fault if now there’s an infestation of Kneazles in Diagon Alley.”

“But—”

“Do you want them or not?”

Lily looked down at the writhing mass of cuteness that Mrs Bunny had placed at her feet. How was she supposed to keep one adult Kneazle and twenty-five kittens in her tiny flat? She didn’t know, but what she did know was that she didn’t want them to be sold as potion ingredients.

She took a deep breath and looked at the woman. “Of course I’ll keep them,” she said. “I’m not heartless.”

“Very well,” huffed the woman. “Enjoy your brood.”

“I will,” snapped Lily.

“Good day, Miss Potter.”

“Good day to you, Mrs Bunny!”

The woman turned on her heels and finally walked away, and Lily kicked the door closed with more force than she had intended. She finally placed Rufus back on the floor and crouched near the box. “Oh my God, Rufus!” she muttered. “How many lassies did you sleep with?”

Rufus rubbed his nuzzle all over her knees.

“Yeah, yeah. If you’re trying to soften me up, you might want to know that you’re succeeding,” sighed Lily, rubbing him between his ears. “But seriously Rufus, can’t you control yourself? You boys are all the same, and you’re just like your daddy.”

She looked at her Kneazle and grinned. “In fact, there’s something I have to tell you,” she whispered. “I’m having a kitten, too, you know.” She patted her stomach and sighed happily. “And… Daddy is leaving me,” she added, sniffling suddenly. “He’s fallen in love with someone else. An ugly girl, too.” She brushed away the tears from her cheeks. “But it’s fine, isn’t it? I’m going to be fine. Just you, and me, and the baby, and… twenty-five kittens…” She sighed and looked at the box. “Well, I think we should make the most out of this situation, shouldn’t we?”

Rufus meowed in agreement.

“Good. Let’s go, then.”

***

“Oh, Merlin.”

Lily’s sleepy eyes opened slowly when she heard her father’s rather upset whisper. She tried to stir her arms over her head, but every single inch of her body seemed to be sheltered by something heavy, furry, and warm.

“Oh, Merlin,” her father repeated. “Lily, did you know that you’re covered in kittens?”

She looked at her father’s concerned face and yawned loudly, without being able to raise her hand to cover her mouth.

“Yes, so?” she said drowsily.

“Bloody hell!” exclaimed Albus, looking down at her. “What the heck? How did you get all these Kneazles?”

Lily tried to push herself up, but some of the kittens rolled down over the swell of her breasts, yawned, and blinked at her, so she decided that moving right at that moment was not a solution.

“This is Rufus’ progeny,” she said with a sigh. “Actually, it’s only half of it. Mrs Bunny brought them here: she said that Rufus mated every single female in the shop and had a grand total of fifty kittens.”

“And why did she give you half of it?” asked Albus as he stretched his hands and grabbed a black kitten that was sleeping on Lily’s stomach. “Shouldn’t she be happy that she has so many to sell?” He cradled the kitten in his hands and grinned at him as he yawned. “I’ll get this one, cheers, Lils.”

“Hey!” she protested. “They are my Kneazles, and I’m not giving them to anybody.”

Albus cocked an eyebrow at her as he brought the kitten to his face and kissed him softly. “So you’re resigning from the Prophet and becoming a full time Crazy Cat Lady?” He grinned at her and added, “Was it really that hard to turn a quarter of a century old?” He winked and lowered his head to move a kitten from her forehead and kiss her. “By the way, happy birthday, Lily!”

“Yes, pumpkin, happy birthday!” said her father warmly, and when Lily glanced at him, she saw that he was holding a kitten in his hands, too. “We certainly couldn’t wait until this evening to wish our favourite girl in the world happy birthday.”

“Thank you, Dad, thank you Al,” said Lily, still unable to move from the sofa. “But this is not a happy birthday at all.” She shook her head and closed her eyes, trying not to think about Hugo and what he had done to her.

Then she opened them again, suddenly, remembering that they didn’t know the big piece of news! Oh, God! She had to tell them that she was pregnant! She had to tell them! Her Dad would start crying and Albus would babble incoherently for a good half-hour, but she had to tell them.

She opened her mouth, took a deep breath, and then closed it again.

She couldn’t tell them. She had to tell Hugo first. Even though, he didn’t deserve to be given the privilege to hear it first. But… Ha! He wouldn’t be the first person to know it anyway! Dominique, Rose, Scorpius, and Nicholas already knew. At least, there was that…

“You alright, Lils?” asked her father gently. “Why is it not a happy birthday?” 

“Yeah, you’re covered in kittens. This is an awesome birthday.”

“Is that the problem? The kittens?”

“Dad, that’s the opposite of a problem,” said Albus wisely.

“Yeah, Dad,” she sighed. “They are the only happy thing that’s happened to me today. That and Rufus’ return.” _And the baby_ , she added in her head. Her hand went to her stomach and she caressed it subtly. That was another happy thing; she just hoped that the circumstances were different.

“Oh, Lily!” exclaimed her father suddenly. “It’s not because of that picture on the Prophet, is it?”

Lily’s wide eyes darted to her dad. “It’s exactly for that!” she exclaimed, causing some kittens to wake up rather abruptly. “Did you see it? How can you not think that I wouldn’t be upset?”

“Because it’s Rita Skeeter?” said her dad slowly. “Everything she writes is rubbish.”

“Yeah,” said Albus placidly. “Like that time she wrote that Mum had a story with Uncle Neville.”

“Or when she said that Aunt Hermione was selling house-elves on the black market in Knockturn Alley.”

“Or when she said that Roxanne was pregnant with a Centaur’s baby.”

“Or—”

“Alright, alright,” snapped Lily. “But there’s a picture here. Photographic evidence of my boyfriend and an fat ugly girl chatting, whispering, smiling, and linking arms in Diagon Alley!”

“Have you asked Hugo about it, first?” asked her father sensibly. “I’m sure that he would never see someone else. Especially not _now_.”

Lily glanced at her father. “Why not now? Just because it’s my birthday? Do you think he minds?” she snorted. “And that was last Tuesday, anyway.”

“Oh, please,” huffed Albus. “Hugo is so hopelessly in love with you that we don’t even ask him to come with us anymore when we go out since all he does is saying, _Lily did this! Lily did that! Isn’t Lily adorable? Isn’t she the cutest? Blah blah bleh_ …”

Lily’s heart jolted in her chest at those words. “You’re just trying to make me feel better,” she mumbled.

“I’m stating the truth,” he replied. “You turned him into a lovesick zombie. He used to be fun, you know.” He grinned at her, letting her know that he was probably joking.

“Yeah, ask him about it, I’m sure there’s a very simple explanation,” said her father seriously. He looked at her sternly and cocked an eyebrow. “You weren’t all upset because of that, were you?”

She lowered her eyes and pouted. “Maybe,” she replied. “It’s just that he looks so happy in that picture…” She took a deep breath and started rubbing the kittens that were sleeping all over her.

Her mind had jumped to some unhealthy conclusion that morning, but the fact that her hormones were in turmoil, that Derek and Lavender had showed her the picture and were all worked up themselves about it, and that… well, that that picture was so clear that she couldn’t really mistake it for anything else… Well, all those things hadn’t helped at all!  

He was walking happily with another girl at his arm. And that was that.

“Well, we better go and get ready for the party of the century,” grinned Albus, snapping her out of her musings. “Are you sure I can’t take this little dumpling home with me?”

She pouted and stretched a hand towards him, claiming the kitten back, and then did the same with her father. “I don’t know if I’m coming to the party,” she sighed. “I don’t feel like celebrating.”

“Yeah, right,” snorted Albus. “Mum would go batty if you didn’t come.”

“Well, I’m upset,” said Lily sullenly. “And it’s my birthday.”

“Oh Lily, pumpkin, don’t be silly,” said her dad, kissing her forehead. “We’ll see you at the Leaky in a couple of hours. Better if you get up from that sofa and start getting ready. Have you already picked what you’re going to wear?”

“Dad, she’s probably done that back in January.”

“December,” she mumbled. “Hugo bought it for me as a present for Christmas…”

“I thought he got you the earrings you liked for Christmas,” said her father.

“And I thought he got you the two-week-stay at the Bahamas,” pointed out Albus.

“Yes,” she replied, blushing. “Those, too.” 

Albus snorted and shook his head. “On a second thought, Dad,” he said. “Hugo is probably leaving her. She’s way too expensive to keep…”

“Hey!” protested Lily. “I told him it was too much, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”

“I wonder what he’s going to get you for your birthday,” said Albus boldly.

“I do know,” said her father just as cheekily. “But I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”

Lily’s neck cracked as she jerked it towards her father. “You know?” she asked in disbelief. “Why do you know?”

“Can’t tell you that, either,” he said. “Now, we better go and let you get ready, though.”

“You’re going to tell me what it is, right Dad?” asked Albus, grinning. “I swear I won’t tell.”

Her father shook his head. “Let’s go.”

“Dad!” protested Lily. “You can’t leave me like this! I need to know.”

“It’s a surprise,” he said as he got a generous fistful of Floo Powder. “See you in a bit, Lils.”

“By the way, better if you start showering, now,” said Albus while their father disappeared through the fireplace. “You smell rather feline at the moment.”

Lily glared at her brother as he laughed and entered her fireplace, and then he was gone, too.

***

It took her quite a while to manage to move all the kittens around and finally sit up. Apparently, it had taken them less than a couple of hours to get accustomed to her and start considering her their mummy. Well, she was Rufus’ mummy, really, so, if anything, she was their grandma, but she wasn’t ready for that appellative. Not on the day of her birthday, at least.

Then they suddenly started meowing all together, Rufus as well, and Lily just knew that they were hungry. She gave them all the cat food she had, and even had to chop up the two steaks she had bought the day before, a whole chicken, and three salmons. As well as two litres of milk.

But in the end the kittens and Rufus seemed all rather happy and replete, and they went back to climb on the sofa and armchairs for another nap.

It was five minutes to five when Lily had finally helped the last one of them on a chair and rubbed him between his ears.

And it was precisely five o’clock when a key was turned in the front door, and Lily’s heart jolted in her chest as she straightened up her shoulders. She folded her arms over her chest and raised her chin in a haughty gesture.

Then the door swung open and Hugo, sweaty and flushed, walked inside.

The moment he saw her, a bright smile tugged his lips upwards. “Hey, birthday girl,” he said, leaning his broom against the wall. “Are you alright? Were you waiting for me?”

She took a sharp breath and grabbed the Prophet from the table, raising it in front of her chest, but Hugo wasn’t already looking at her anymore.

“Rufus?” he exclaimed as he crouched down to scoop the Kneazle in his arms. “Hey, you came back!”

Lily stared as Hugo dipped his face into the fur of their pet, and she kept staring as he noticed something on the floor and furrowed his brow, and then his eyes opened wide and his jaw slackened.

“What the…” he muttered as the kittens jumped down from all sorts of cushions and sofas and chairs and went to see who this new person was.

“Lily,” he said looking from a kitten to the other as some of them started to climb up his legs. “What… what…”

“Hugo,” she called him seriously. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

He looked at her. “For example why there is an infestation of Kneazles in our flat?” he asked in disbelief. “How did they get here?”

“That’s not what we need to talk about,” she said seriously. “We need to talk about this.” She tapped the picture near her chest and took a deep breath.

He looked at the newspaper, narrowed his eyes for a moment, and then looked down at the kittens again. “You sure that whatever is on the news is more important than what’s going on here, now?”

“Yes,” she replied. “It’s much more important.”

He narrowed his eyes again and took a couple of steps amongst the kittens to have a closer look at the picture. When he finally saw it, he looked rather surprised, then his eyes travelled upwards, towards the title, and they widened until they were as big as Galleons. Then he shook his head and snorted.

“Nice picture,” he said. “Rose must be ecstatic.”

Lily’s face darkened. “Don’t bring your sister into this,” she said, feeling the tears swelling up in her eyes again. “You’re seeing someone else, aren’t you?” She sniffled loudly. “This ugly girl, with a bush over her head and pimples all over her nose!”

Hugo looked at her surprised. Then, unexpectedly, his surprise changed into hilarity and he started laughing so much that Rufus jumped down from his arms and trotted away, disturbed by the loud sounds his daddy was making.

“Oh my God!” he laughed. “Ugly? Wait until Rose hears you saying that!”

Lily narrowed her eyes. “She’s already heard me this morning,” she replied. “And don’t change the subject; you can’t—oh, my God! Rose knows her?”

“Yes, very well indeed,” grinned Hugo. He cocked his head, looking at her amusedly. But as she stared back at him with a harsh expression over her face, his amusement slowly changed into disbelief. “Wait,” he said suddenly. “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” asked Lily back. “All I know is that you are seeing someone else and that today is the worst birthday of my entire life.” She nodded towards Rufus. “Except for that.” She nodded towards the kittens. “And them.” Her hand ghosted on her stomach. “And something else.”

“No,” said Hugo seriously. “Wait a second. You went to Rose and she didn’t tell you? What did she say, then?”

“She just said that she was sure that you weren’t cheating on me,” replied Lily sullenly. “But she has no—”

“Just that?” exclaimed Hugo, suddenly rather enraged. “Oh, she’s going to hear me!” He turned away, slalomed through the kittens, and grabbed a fistful of Floo Powder. Then he stopped. “Wait,” he said, turning towards Lily. “Was Scorpius there when you asked her what she thought?”

Lily nodded.

“Ah, of course,” he sighed. “I’ll be right back, baby.”

Lily opened her mouth, but before she could utter another word, he was gone to Rose and Scorpius’ flat.

She just stood there, Prophet in hand, kittens all around her, face dumbstruck as she stared at the fireplace.

However, it didn’t take him long at all, and soon the green flames were spitting out her boyfriend again. He smiled at Lily and shook the dust from his curls. “She’s coming in a second,” he said calmly. “Let her just give Nicholas to Scorpius and she’ll be right—”

He was interrupted by the swoosh of the Floo and soon Rose was standing in their living room, too. Looking all pretty in a green dress with a soft cardigan over her shoulder. Ready for the party.

“Lily, darling,” she said as she stepped out of the fireplace. “How do you feel? I hope you’re…” Her words trailed away as she looked at the kittens around herself. "What's going on here?” she asked flabbergasted.

“Rose,” urged Hugo, as he walked to Lily and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “What do you have to confess?”

Lily looked at Hugo’s warm hand on her upper arm, then up at his face as he smiled gently at her and, for a moment, she was very confused indeed.

Rose took a deep breath. “Alright,” she said. “Lily, don’t hate me, I couldn’t tell you this morning because Scorpius was breathing down my neck, and I think he’s been suspecting for a while, but…” She sighed as if she was about to confess something earth shattering about herself. “I’ve been taking Tuesdays off work without telling him.”

“You’ve been doing _what_?”

Scorpius’ head was floating in the fireplace, his eyes wide as he stared at his wife through the flames.

Rose didn’t even turn to look at him. She just groaned out loud and shook her head. “Oh, God!”

But Scorpius’ head was gone from the fireplace and, in a matter of seconds, he was standing in their living room, with Nicholas in his arms and a severe expression over his face. “You’ve been doing what, Missy?” he asked again, his usually pale face was now flushed. He blinked as something caught his eye and he looked down at the pack of Kneazles waddling towards him. “What’s that?” he asked them.

“I’ve been taking Tuesdays off,” huffed Rose. “And I’m so happy I did it!”

“You told me that Tuesday is the worst day of your week!” said Scorpius, glaring at her. “You always come home knackered, and I always rub your feet until you fall asleep.”

Rose smirked and raised her chin. “I’m a great actress, thank you very much.”

“Why would you even have to lie like that? I always have to look after Nicholas for the whole day when you’re gone. Do you even know how incredibly—”

“Of course I know, you dim-witted man that I have the misfortune to have for a husband!” she snapped. “I do it every day.”

Scorpius glared at her. “Except on Tuesday.”

“Exactly,” growled Rose. “Tuesday is my day. Just one day a week. Is it too much to ask?”

Scorpius’ nose twitched in disagreement. “And what have you been doing if I may ask?”

“I’ve gone to the library,” she replied calmly, “to the spa, the beach, I started a pottery course, and I’ve been taking salsa lessons.”

Scorpius raised his pointy chin. “And you’ve left me home all alone,” he said, his voice hurt. “Me and my little man.” He squeezed Nicholas to his chest. “We’re two brave soldiers…”

“You always leave me home alone when you go to the Manor,” pointed out Rose.

“You never want to come to the Manor!” he protested. “It’s always—”

“Guys!” called Hugo over their loud voices. “How about we focus on last Tuesday?” He nodded towards Lily and then planted a kiss on her hair and squeezed her gently against his chest.

Rose took a deep breath. “Right,” she muttered, looking at Lily. “That girl—the one that you so harshly commented on—is me, Lily.” She gestured towards Scorpius. “I have to keep altering my appearance in order to fool Scorpius, in case he’s taking our son out for a walk or to get himself an ice-cream.”

“You do what?” he asked outraged.

She glared at him before glaring at Lily, too. “And I don’t make myself uglier, for your information,” she huffed. “I just try out different styles.”

Lily blinked in surprise at the revelation. “But… but why didn’t you tell me? I would have kept the secret, and I would have come out with you and have fun.”

“Obviously,” muttered Scorpius with a snort.

“Nobody knew,” sighed Rose. “Not even my mother. It was my me time.”

“Only Hugo,” grunted Scorpius.

“I didn’t know either,” replied Hugo calmly. “Until last week.”

Rose nodded. “He asked me to accompany him to do something very important,” she said. “And we went on a Tuesday afternoon, so that I didn’t have to take more time away from my baby.”

“Is that me?” asked Scorpius with a slight grin forming on his lips.

“Obviously not,” replied Rose coolly. She stretched her arms and took Nicholas from Scorpius’ arms. “This is my one and only baby,” she said, showering him with kisses.

“Alright, Lily?” whispered Hugo, squeezing her again in the one-armed hug and grinning down at her.

She blinked as she looked up at him. “What… what did you have to do of so important? And why didn’t you ask me?”

Hugo bit down hard on his bottom lip, then glanced at Scorpius and Rose, and then back at Lily.

“Well, we better go,” said Rose, pushing Scorpius towards the fireplace. “We’ll see them in a bit, anyway.”

“What? I want to know the whole story, now,” protested Scorpius. “What did you have to do of so important that would make Rose finally confess to you what she’s been doing?”

Hugo swallowed loudly and took a deep breath.

“Scorpius, let’s go, I’ll tell you at home,” hissed Rose.

“No, I want to—”

“Lily,” said Hugo loudly, letting her go and turning to face her. “This is not how I envisioned this at all.” He gestured around himself at the kittens and his dirty Puddlemere uniform and his sister and brother-in-law standing near the fireplace. “But…” He slowly knelt down on one knee and pushed his hand into his pocket, fishing out a small box covered in blue velvet.

Lily’s wide eyes went from the box to Hugo’s nervous face and back to the box.

She held her breath as he raised the box towards her.

Her head was swimming, her heart was suddenly beating furiously in her chest, her fingertips and toes were all tingling.

Hugo flipped the box open.

She gasped aloud as she saw the golden ring topped with a finely cut diamond.

“Lily Luna Potter, will you— _Lily_!”

Then everything went black.

***

Rose was saying that it was probably a fainting spell caused by all the emotion; Scorpius was chuckling that Hugo had knocked her down; Hugo was kneeling on the floor next to her, patting her cheeks, and calling her all sort of affectionate nicknames when Lily came back to her senses.

“Well, that was quick,” chuckled Scorpius when she opened her eyes.

“I will!” gasped Lily, pushing herself up into a seated position. “I will, Hugo! I will! Am I still on time? I will!” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him and kissed him and kissed him, until he fell back on his heels and she was sitting on his lap. “I will,” she whispered against his lips. “I will. I will marry you! Yes, I will.”

“Oh Lily,” he whispered back. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Hey, there are underage children and kittens here,” pointed out Scorpius.

“Let’s go, Scorpius,” huffed Rose. “They still have lots to talk about. Remember?”

Scorpius didn’t reply, but both of them muttered a, “See you at the party,” and then they were both gone through the fireplace.

Not that either Lily or Hugo interrupted their snogging to make sure that they were actually alone. Well, alone from the company of humans, because they were certainly _not_ alone per se. In fact, kittens were now all around their legs.

“This is _not_ how I imagined it would go,” said Hugo as he pecked her lips. “Definitely _not_.”

Lily tilted her head back and grinned at him. “What did you have in mind?”

Hugo’s arms slid over her back and he squeezed her to his chest. “Well,” he whispered in her hair. “I booked a private ride on a boat on the Thames for later tonight. And I imagined just you and me and one hundred white lilies and the moon over our heads and me all dressed up and… no Kneazles. Hem, Lily, is there something you’d like to tell me?”

She took a deep breath and nodded, and then she pushed herself off from his chest and looked at him seriously. “Yes,” she replied. “Hugo, I know what’s causing my morning sickness.”

“Oh, God,” he said, looking at her with concern. “Please, tell me it’s nothing serious.”

“It’s very serious, I’m afraid,” she replied, nodding gravely. “Extremely serious. Something that will change my life and yours forever.”

Hugo’s eyes widened. “Oh, Lily,” he whispered worriedly. “What is it?”

She grabbed his hand and placed it gently on her stomach, then looked up at him and smiled shyly. “We’re having a child,” she said in an excited whisper. “You and I made a baby.”

She could actually see the shift in Hugo’s expression as he went from worried to surprised to shocked in a matter of seconds. His hand pressed lightly on her tummy and he opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times. “You’re… you’re serious,” he whispered. “We’re having a baby?”

She nodded and bit her bottom lip. “Are you happy?”

“Wait,” he said, sneaking his fingers under her top to caress her bare skin. “How did we manage to…”

“The night of the match against the Harpies,” she said. “I didn’t even remember my name that night.”

Hugo’s jaw dropped. “Oh, my God,” he mumbled. “We’re having a baby!” He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly, then proceeded to kiss the daylight out of her, again. “We’re having a baby,” he kept repeating. “We’re having a baby.” Both his hands were on her tummy, now, rubbing and pressing as if he could already feel the baby move. “We’re having a baby.”

Lily giggled against his lips. “We’re having a baby boy,” she corrected.

“A boy?” he asked, tilting his head back and looking at her. “Really?”

She nodded. “Dominique told me this morning.” She chewed nervously on her bottom lip. “You’re happy, aren’t you?” she asked unsurely. “You didn’t want a girl, did you?”

He smiled and cupped her cheeks, kissing her tenderly, and whispered, “I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. What I care about is that we made it together. You and me, Lily Luna Potter.”

Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “I thought this was the most horrible birthday ever,” she whispered, “and instead, it’s the best. The best day of my life.”

“And it’s not even over, wait until—ouch!”

Lily tilted her head back and turned to look at the little tabby Kneazle that was climbing up Hugo’s naked leg. She smiled and grabbed him, having to detach his little, but pointy claws from her fiancé’s skin.

“Bloody hell!” he muttered, massaging the offended spot. “Lily, can you tell me why we have thousands of kittens in our flat, please?”

“Hugo! No bad words in front of the baby,” she chastised immediately.

He had the decency of blushing and grin a very cheerful, “Sorry, love,” then he listened carefully as she told him how it was that she had ended up with twenty-five kittens that day.

***

Lily and Hugo were fashionably late at the party but, in their defence, it was really not their fault.

To save some time, they had even decided to take a shower together, but their shower had ended up being longer than if they had washed separately. It had been very enjoyable, though, and when they had finished, Hugo had wrapped her up in a soft towel, picked her up, and brought her to their room in his arms.

He had laid her on their bed and had kissed her until she felt completely boneless. “I don’t want to go tonight,” she had sighed. “I want to stay here with you all night…”

Hugo had smiled against her lips. “I promise you that you won’t regret it if we go tonight…”

It hadn’t taken much to convince her to get up and get ready, obviously since that was her birthday party, but they had kept kissing for a bit longer, thus making them even later to the party.

But they were finally here, now, standing on the door of the Leaky Cauldron, hand in hand, and with hundreds of people finally noticing that the birthday girl had arrived and going to hug her.

First of all, her family. All her family was there. All of them.

“James!” she exclaimed, going to hug her big brother. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow!”

“And miss the celebration of the year? No, thank you.” He hugged her tightly and kissed her hair. “We got you the best birthday present ever in Hawaii…” he whispered excitedly.

There were all her colleagues and people from the newspaper that Lily didn’t even know why her mother had invited to her birthday party. Derek and Julia were there with little Daphne, who ran towards Lily’s legs and hugged her tightly. Then there were Lily and Hugo’s friends, and even some personalities from the world of Quidditch. Oliver Wood for example and Viktor Krum, and many past and present players from the Harpies.

“Lily!” exclaimed her mother. “Happy birthday, again, pumpkin! You look gorgeous!”

“Thanks, Mum,” grinned Lily. “We have to tell you so—”

“Happy birthday, Lily,” said Julia, grinning brightly. “Daphne can’t wait to give you her birthday present. She picked it up herself.” She winked and sighed.

“Thank you, Julia. I can’t wait to open it.” She looked at Daphne and grinned. “I’m that curious now, Daphne.” 

“Happy birthday, my darling,” said Aunt Hermione, hugging her tightly. “You are glowing.”

“Oh, am I?” she asked without being able to giggle.

“Potter,” grumbled Mr Quills. “Hem, yes, both Potters,” he added when both Lily and her mother turned towards him. “I think it’s time, isn’t it?”

“It definitely is time,” said her mother with a bright smile.

“What?” asked Lily as her mother grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the centre of the Leaky, where a little stage had been mounted. Nothing fancy, just a raised platform that her mother made her climb on. “Time for the cake, already? But I haven’t even had—”

“ _Sonorus_!” said her mother, wand pointed at her neck. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming here tonight to celebrate the twenty-fifth birthday of my youngest child and only daughter.”

Lily’s eyes travelled through the crowd that was listening with interest to what her mother was saying. They all had glasses in their hands – even Hugo had managed to find one – and they all seemed to be waiting for the end of the speech to raise them in a toast and drink.

“Lily,” went on her mother. “I can’t believe you’re already twenty-five. It feels like yesterday you were born and I got to hold you for the first time. You blossomed into a wonderful young lady, my darling. You’re beautiful, intelligent, kind-hearted, sweet, compassionate, and a fantastic journalist. I am so proud of you and of what you’ve become. All by yourself.”

“Here you go, Lily,” whispered Hannah as she handed her a glass of bubbly champagne. “For the toast.”

Lily looked at the alcohol with eyes wide. “No, I really can’t—”

“Lily,” said her mother, taking a deep breath. “Your father and I love you very much. As a mother, I couldn’t have hoped in a more wonderful daughter, and as the Senior Correspondent of the Prophet, I couldn’t have wanted a more dedicated and intelligent assistant.”

Lily smiled at her mother, then she looked for Dominique in the crowd and when she found her cousin, she pointed towards her glass of champagne.

Dominique shook her head severely, mouthing a, “Don’t drink it.”

Lily nodded promptly before looking back at her mother.

“And that’s why, on this very joyous day,” she went on, looking at Lily with tears in her eyes. “I want to announce my retirement.”

There were gasps and shocked murmurs that went through the crowd and Lily looked at her mother with her mouth wide open in surprise. She hadn’t told her that she wanted to retire! Why would she wait until that evening to announce it?

“I’m going to miss working in such a vibrant and young environment,” she continued. “But I can’t be more confident that my successor will do an ace job at delivering mind-blowing pieces of high quality journalism.” She turned towards Mr Quills and gestured for him to keep going.

Mr Quills turned quite reddish before clearing his throat and casting an Amplifying Charm as well. “Yes,” he said curtly. “Potter, you’re our Quidditch Correspondent.”

There was silence following that statement and everybody looked at Mr Quills as if he was stupid. He rolled his eyes and cleared his throat again. “Lily Luna Potter, I meant, you’re our new Senior Quidditch Correspondent. I’ve got your new contract here, so you can come and sign it. Maybe before you get too drunk, thank you very much.”

Finally, the whole Leaky Cauldron erupted into cheers and everybody raised their glasses. “To Lily!” shouted someone, and everybody else replied with a, “To Lily!” Then, they were all drinking and bottles were passed around and glasses were filled and refilled over and over again.

“Lily, darling, drink,” said her mother cheerfully. “Oh, we’ve left you speechless, haven’t we?”

Lily opened her mouth to babble something, but then she just closed it dumbly without being able to utter a word. She tried again, but it still didn’t work. Then, finally, she took a deep breath, collected her thoughts, pointed her wand at her own neck and muttered an Amplifying Charm, too.

“Hem, I’m sorry,” she said over the cheers. “I… I’ve got something to say…” She swallowed. “Two things, actually. No! Three. Three things. No, wait, four.” She looked at Hugo, who looked back at her with a grin. “Hugo, can you come here, please?”

His grin deepened and he nodded as he started to make his way towards her.

“First thing first,” started Lily. “Mum, Mr Quills, I… I really don’t know what to say.” She smiled nervously and looked from one to the other. “I mean, obviously I know what to say and that’s thank you, but I really don’t know what else to say. Like, maybe, that I can’t believe that I’m about to become the Quidditch Correspondent. Oh, my God! That’s so scary. I can’t even…”

Her mother smiled encouragingly at her. Mr Quills nodded at every word she said.

“Okay. I… I want to toast to everything you’ve just said, Mum,” she went on as she felt Hugo coming to sand next to her. “But I can’t. I mean, I can’t drink anymore.” The crowd looked at her as if she was barmy. “Not forever. Oh, Merlin! No! Just for another seven months and a half.” She smiled awkwardly. “So like, anyway, that was the first thing that I had to say and the second thing is—no! I can’t tell you about that thing before first telling you about the other thing.”

She looked at Hugo and he smiled adoringly down at her. “So, the second thing,” she continued, “is that Hugo and I are getting married!” She raised her left hand, where her beautiful new ring that Rose had helped Hugo choose for her shone in the light of the hundreds of candles that were floating about.

There were gasps and cheers and more, “To Lily!” followed now by “To Hugo!” and “To Lily and Hugo!” Someone threw their hats into the air; someone sent sparkles in the air. Uncle George started a firework in the shape of a lily that had Neville glaring at him.

Her mother was looking at her with a hand over her chest. “Oh Lily,” she sighed. “I’m so happy for you.”

“You and Dad already knew, didn’t you?”

“Of course, we did,” she replied gently. “Your fiancé came to us to ask for your hand in marriage two weeks ago.”

Lily looked at Hugo and he blushed profusely. “You did what?” she grinned. “Who does that anymore?”

Hugo shrugged a shoulder. “Well, I do,” he replied.

She squeezed his hand. “Shall we?” she whispered.

“Drop the bomb?” he asked back.

She nodded.

“We shall,” he encouraged her.

Lily looked back at the cheerful crowd. “So,” she went on, “that was the second thing. The third thing—and don’t forget that there’s a fourth thing which is very important indeed—but the third thing is that… Hugo and I… we’re the proud owners of twenty-five kittens that we can’t obviously keep in our flat, so if any of you is interested in a free Kneazle… well, all you have to do is prove to us that he or she is going to a loving family and that you’ll take care of them.”

“I call bagsies on the black one,” shouted Albus.

More people seemed to be discussing amongst themselves if they wanted kittens or not, Teddy and Victoire looked definitely very interested, especially since Remus was basically jumping up and down and begging them to get one, his hair turning all sorts of colours in excitement.

“Trickster,” whispered Hugo, squeezing her hand.

She stood on tiptoes and kissed him quickly. “I know,” she whispered before bringing her wand back to her neck. “And last, but definitely not least,” she said, unable not to grin from ear to ear, “Hugo and I are having a baby!”

Now, that was definitely the way a gathering filled with Weasleys would react to the news of a pregnancy. Contrary to what many outsiders would expect, the news of the umpteenth pregnancy in the family was not met with lukewarm expressions of acceptance of the fact that another Weasley was coming into this world, but with a thunder of joy and a river of people that finally closed around the happy couple and started to talk all together.

“Are you serious?” said Roxanne. “You’re pregnant?”

“Oh, my baby!” exclaimed Grandma Molly. “My baby is having a baby!”

“Are you really pregnant?” asked her mother. “It’s not a birthday joke or something, is it?”

“I’m really pregnant, Mum,” she giggled.

Hugo was receiving so many pats on his shoulders and back that Lily could see out of the corner of her eye that he was most definitely in pain.

“Did you already know this afternoon?” asked Albus.

She nodded and smiled at him. “Yes, but Hugo still didn’t, so I couldn’t tell you first.”

“Oh, Lily,” said her father, engulfing her in a tight embrace. “I… I can’t… My baby… Oh, I can’t…” He was sobbing by the time Lily had managed to wriggle free from his breath-taking hug.

“Pumpkin juice,” was saying Dominique. “Bring her some pumpkin juice. Don’t you dare give her alcohol, Louis!”

“We need to go and get the right fireworks from the shop,” was shouting Uncle George. “The ones with the laughing babies. Ron. Ron!”

“Lily!” exclaimed Aunt Hermione, hugging her tightly. “I can’t believe it!”

Uncle Ron was hugging Hugo, saying things like, “My young man…” and “I’m so proud of you two.”

And that was how the evening proceeded, amongst hugs and kisses and pats on their shoulders and hands on her stomach. Lily couldn’t remember much by the end of it, only that she had gotten many more presents than she had ever had, and that lots of people were crying and kept filling her plate with delicious food and a gigantic piece of chocolate cake.

Then, Hugo and Lily bid goodnight to them all, went for the boat ride on the Thames, snogged until they almost passed out, and finally went back home. 

***

“He moved. He moved! I swear, this time he moved!” exclaimed Hugo, grinning at her but not raising his head from her tummy.

Lily lowered the kitten she was kissing and looked at him. “Hugo, six weeks is too early to feel him move.”

He shushed her gently. “He’s even talking, now.”

“What is he saying? _My dad is a dork, please help me_?”

“Ha ha ha,” he deadpanned. “No. He’s saying, _Daddy, I love you so much already. I can’t wait to get out of here and play Quidditch with you every weekend_.”

Lily grinned at him. “What if he doesn’t like Quidditch?” she asked. “What if he hates it like his Auntie Rosie?”

“Don’t even joke about these things, Lily,” he replied seriously. “Of course he’ll like Quidditch. In fact, I’m sure he’ll be a Beater, just like his daddy.”

She put the kitten on the bed and started to caress Hugo’s curls. “Shall we start buying him a little Puddlemere uniform, then?”

“Definitely,” replied Hugo. “And a toy broom. I’m going to tell Julia to reserve one for us, tomorrow morning.”

Lily shook her head and stared as a black and white kitten climbed on her stomach, near Hugo’s face.

“Hey, off you go,” said Hugo, pushing him away. “This is mine for the upcoming seven months and a half.”

The kitten just rolled back down on the mattress and climbed back up without much effort.

Hugo pushed himself up and looked at the pack of Kneazles lying around their bedroom. “You promise they’ll be gone by tomorrow?” he huffed.

“Oh, Hugo,” she grinned. “Can’t we keep them? All twenty-five, pretty please?”

“You’re joking,” he said. “And if you count Rufus there are twenty-six of them.” He turned around and lay down next to her, moving away two more kittens and finally managing to cradle Lily in his arms.

She sighed contently and leant her head on his chest.

“So did you have a nice birthday?” he asked softly, kissing her temple.

“The best ever,” she murmured, yawning. “I mean, half of it was rather rubbish, to be honest—”

“When you thought that I was cheating on you, that Rufus was lost forever and that you were about to die of some deadly illness?” asked Hugo with a grin in his voice.

“Yeah,” she replied. “But the other half definitely made up for it.”

He kissed her temple again, then she saw him detaching a kitten from his pyjamas and placing him on his chest, near her face. “Have I already said I love you today?”

“Hmm,” she replied. “Yes, but you can say it again. I don’t mind.”

He kissed her for the umpteenth time. “I love you, Lily. I love you more than life.”

“I love you right back, Hugo,” she whispered.

Then, gently, her breathing slowed down, the kittens gathered up around them, and Lily finally fell asleep.

And she dreamt of a baby with red hair and freckles.

And of a girl dressed in white, who was marrying her Prince Charming.

And of a thousand kittens that kept purring around her.

(But probably that was not a dream.)

FIN...

 

...Or is it?! Ah! BONUS SCENES! Because I know my readers and I love them to bits.

 

  1. **Rose and Scorpius _had to_ name their child Nicholas Ronald Draco Malfoy. They just _had to_. And this is how it went:**



 At Ronald and Hermione Weasley’s residence. Two weeks before the delivery.

“So, Mum, Dad, we finally settled on a name,” announced Rose, spooning the umpteenth piece of cake into her mouth.

“Oh, you did?” asked her mother, looking from Rose to Scorpius to Ron with a rather worried look. “Well, I’m quite curious.”

“I’m sure you’ll approve, Mrs Weasley,” said Scorpius with a grin. “And Mr Weasley.”

“Let me decide if I approve it, Scorpius,” replied Ron calmly. “Spit it out, you two.”

“Well,” said Rose, glancing at Scorpius. “We thought that Nicholas was a very good name for our baby.”

Both Ron and Hermione blinked, evidently not expecting that name at all. Rose just took a deep breath and tried hard to suppress the giggle that was bubbling over her lips.

“Do you like it?” asked Scorpius calmly.

Hermione looked at him and nodded. “Yes, it’s very nice,” she said slowly.

“Why Nicholas?” asked Ron suspiciously.

“Why do you think, Daddy?”

Hermione’s eyes widened just as much as her mouth as she finally got there. “Oh, golly!” she exclaimed. “Of course! Like Nicholas Flamel!”

“Exactly, Mum,” said Rose. “Isn’t it a lovely name?”

“Yes, it is,” she replied. “It’s modern but, at the same time, it has history. And it’s an important name: Nicholas Flamel was one of the greatest wizards of our time.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” said Ron slowly. “This name is a very good choice, but what about the second name?”

“Well, Mr Weasley,” said Scorpius. “We’ve actually decided to give him a second and a third name.”

Rose smiled brightly. “Yes, Ronald Draco, Dad. What do you think?”

Ron’s blue eyes opened wide in surprise, before narrowing again. “In that order?” he asked with ill-concealed excitement.

“Yes, of course, Daddy,” said Rose, nodding vigorously.

“We wouldn’t dream of having it the other way round, Mr Weasley.”

Ron looked from his daughter to his son-in-law. “Well… well, right… I… I don’t know what… what to say… Thank you guys, I just… I…” He pushed back his chair and swallowed loudly. “Excuse me for a second, will you? I have to go to the bathroom. I think I have something in my eye.”

At Malfoy Manor. The night after.

“Mother, Father, Rose and I wanted to let you know that we’ve finally decided how to call our son,” announced Scorpius as the house-elves placed a big salmon in crust in the middle of the table.

Draco looked over at his wife and closed his eyes for a moment, as if he was getting ready to receive the worst news of his life.

“We’re sure you’ll approve of it, Mr Malfoy,” said Rose warmly.

Draco glanced at her and cocked a pale eyebrow. “Let’s hear it,” he said with a sigh.

“Nicholas,” said Scorpius simply.

Astoria looked at her son and smiled. “Well, I think it’s a very fine name, darling.”

“Oh, Salazar! Like Nicholas Malfoy, who killed his Muggle tenants under the guise of the Black Death back in the XIV century?” asked Draco, unable to contain the excitement in his voice.

“Of course, Father,” said Scorpius calmly.

“Oh, yes, Scorpius and Rose dear! What a fitting name indeed!”

“Oh, that’s… that’s rather interesting,” said Astoria slowly. “Have you told your parents about it, Rose?”

“Yes, Mrs Malfoy,” she replied brightly. “They were enthusiastic.”

“And do you have a second name for my grandson?” asked Draco, puffing out his chest.

“Well,” said Scorpius slowly. “We thought of naming him Nicholas Draco Ronald Malfoy…”

“But Ronald next to Malfoy doesn’t really sound that good, does it, Mr Malfoy?” said Rose sweetly.

Draco pursed his lips, seemingly deep in thought. “No, it most certainly doesn’t,” he replied calmly. “You could get rid of it. That would work just fine.”

“Draco!” hissed Astoria.

“Or I wouldn’t be opposed to Nicholas Ronald Draco Malfoy,” he went on. “That certainly sounds rather nicer.”

“Oh, we didn’t think of that, Mr Malfoy!” exclaimed Rose. “Do you like it, Scorpius?”

“I think it sounds wonderful!” he exclaimed back. “Thank you, Father!”

Draco smiled contently. “Well, but it was my pleasure. Whenever you need a worthy opinion, my dears, you know where to seek it.”

Rose smiled gently at him, and then turned to look at Scorpius.

She winked and Scorpius winked back.

 _Mischief Managed_.

 

  1. **Lily was definitely the little matchmaker between Derek and Julia, and this is exactly how it went:**



Lily knocked on the door and, as always, she didn’t wait for Derek to tell her to come in. “Derek, I was wondering if you—oh, my God.”

“Lily! No! It’s not what it looks like!” he said as he gathered up the thousands pieces of parchment he had spread on his desk.

She ignored him completely, closed the door at her back, and strode towards him.

“Derek, we talked about this, didn’t we?” she said calmly, grabbing a piece that had escaped his hands. “You can’t just obsessively paint a girl like that. It makes you look like a stalk—oh, bloody hell! But I know her!”

“You do?” he asked hopefully. “I mean… You can’t know her. She’s not a real girl. These are just… things I’m drawing for tomorrow’s comic strip.”

Lily cocked an eyebrow at him. “Tomorrow’s comic strip is about Rita Skeeter falling into that open grave while she was following my parents at Godric’s Hollow last week,” she pointed out. “Her name is Julia and she works at Quality Quidditch Supplies,” she said, tapping the drawing in her hand. “She did the summer camp with Hugo, but wasn’t picked for the team. We stayed pretty good friends, though.” She licked her lips and looked at Derek with an ill-concealed grin. “Would you like me to introduce you to her?”

“What?” asked Derek alarmed. “No, no! It’s okay, thank you, Lily.”

She let him grab the piece of parchment from her hands and took a deep breath. “So, you’re going to draw her compulsively until your crush has gone away, which, knowing you, could take months before it does, like last time and the time before that, without doing anything to at least try to talk to her?”

Derek raised his chin in the air. “Yes, thank you very much for your concern,” he replied. “Now, if you will excuse me, I’ve lots to do and—”

“Yes, I’ll excuse you,” said Lily calmly. “Hey! How about dinner? Hugo was talking about you the other day, saying that he never sees you anymore! You want to come over? Tonight maybe?”

“Hugo was talking about me? Seriously? But we—”

“Marvellous! At seven, don’t be late, okay?”

***

“Are you sure about this?” asked Hugo as he nuzzled her neck, his hands slowly gathering up her dress over her legs. “What if she’s got a boyfriend?”

“She doesn’t,” replied Lily, stirring the tomato sauce vigorously.

“You haven’t talked to her in months,” pointed out Hugo, moving her hair away to keep kissing her.

“I asked her this afternoon. Okay, try this,” she said, bringing a wooden spoon to his mouth. “Tastes good?”

“Hmm, delicious,” he replied before lowering his mouth to her shoulder again.

“Nope,” she said, pushing him away. “You’re going to soil my dress. Set the table, will you? Our guests are going to arrive any minute now.”

Hugo sighed, but complied. “Save some of that sauce for after dinner, I want to lick it off your—”

 _Knock. Knock_.

“Get the door, get the door, get the door!” she exclaimed. “And I’ve saved some whipped cream for that, Hugo.”

“I love you,” he sighed, kissing her quickly before going to open the door. “Hey, Derek,” he exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you, man! I was telling Lily the other day that we don’t see enough of you at all.”

Derek smiled brightly. “Oh, thanks Hugo. It’s nice to see you, too, you know.”

“Wicked. Come in. Want something to drink?”

“Derek! You’re wonderfully on time!” exclaimed Lily as she went to welcome him, too. She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheeks.

“I brought ice-cream. I know how much you guys love it,” he said.

“We do,” said Lily. “Oh, by the way, it’s not going to be just the three of us. There’s another friend of ours coming tonight, hope that’s okay with you.”

Derek blinked as he looked from Lily to Hugo and back to Lily.

“Lily…”

 _Knock. Knock_.

“Oh, that must be her! I’ll get it!”

Derek paled visibly. “She didn’t,” he whispered agitatedly to Hugo.

“Yeah, she did,” replied Hugo, pushing a glass of Bloody Mary in his hands. “In her defence, though, her intentions were rather obvious, mate.”

“Julia! It’s so nice to see you!” exclaimed Lily as she opened the door.

“Thank you for inviting me, Lily,” she said. “I’m happy to see you, too.”

“Hey, Julia,” said Hugo brightly. “You’re looking good.”

“Can we introduce you to a friend of ours?” said Lily, pushing Julia forward. “This is Derek. He is a famous artist and the illustrator for the Daily Prophet, as well as the son of the editor in chief.”

Julia smiled brightly at him. “Nice to meet you, Derek. Where have I heard your name?”

Derek, looking paler than Draco Malfoy on Scorpius and Rose’s wedding, babbled, “I used to be madly in love with Lily and draw her compulsively when she was madly in love with—”

“He means that you probably heard his name in some museum or art gallery,” Lily cut him off. “Why don’t we sit down and see if oysters and lobster are really as aphrodisiac as everybody claims them to be?”

***

 _Knock. Knock_.

“Derek, your father wanted me to ask you if—oh, my God!” Lily covered her eyes and turned around.

“Lily!” exclaimed Julia, covering herself up as best as she could.

“Lily!” groaned Derek. “This is—”

“Exactly what it looks like?” Lily finished for him from behind her hands.

“Yeah,” replied Derek, an obvious grin in his voice.

“Alright, I’ll go,” she muttered. “But these doors have locks, you know…”

***

“We’re invited to their wedding?” asked Hugo in disbelief. “But… but they were here six weeks ago!”

“I know, right?” replied Lily thoughtfully. “I hope they aren’t rushing things.”

“Nah, you’re just a very good matchmaker…” he grinned, lowering his head to kiss her.

“Please,” she replied, grinning back. “I am the best.”

 

  1. **Lily and Hugo have the steamiest yoga sessions. Wanna see? (Remember the rating of the story, guys…)**



“Do you like it?” said Lily, walking into the living room with a grin on her face. “Auntie Luna sent it to me.” She stopped in front of the sofa, where Hugo was seated cross-legged, doing the Magical Symbols Game of the Prophet.

Hugo circled another symbol and finally looked up. His eyes widened as they skimmed over her low-cut top and her breasts, and when she turned around, pushing out her little arse, tightly wrapped in the yoga pants, his breath caught in his throat.

“Of course I like it,” he replied, voice raspy. “I should be blind or gay not to like it.”

She giggled and opened the book that Auntie Luna had sent with her outfit and placed it on the floor.

“What are you doing?” asked Hugo throatily as she read the instructions for the first pose: The Sun Salutation.

She stood straight and raised her arms over her head, placing her palms together. “I’ve decided to start doing yoga,” she replied calmly as she exhaled and bent over into a Forward Fall. “You always say that I should do some more movement,” she went on as she looked at him from between her knees. “And I think that yoga might just be the sport for me.”

“I think it is,” replied Hugo quickly. “Yes, yes. It really suits you.”

Lily smiled satisfied as she inhaled deeply and stepped her right foot back into a Crescent Lounge. “Auntie Luna said that yoga helps with relaxation, too,” she went on, “with concentration, flexibility, and with your sex life.”

“I have no doubt believing it,” he said hoarsely. “I already feel rather flustered and I’m not even the one who’s doing it.”

Lily grinned and stepped her left foot back into a High Plank, exhaling slowly. “It also has a toning effect and makes you stronger without evening noticing,” she went on, as she squeezed her butt muscles and sucked in her tummy as the book suggested.

Hugo groaned. “How long is a yoga session?”

“You can make them as long or as short as you like,” she said, bending her elbows and exhaling to lower herself into Chaturanga. “Auntie Luna suggested half an hour, though.”

“That long?” complained Hugo. “And I’m supposed to stay here and stare at… at _you_ for half an hour? Do you want me to explode, Lily?”

Lily inhaled deeply and tucked her toes underneath herself, pushing her chest forward in an Upward Dog. “You can join me, you know,” she said gently. “There are lots of poses that require a partner anyway.”

She pushed herself up in a Downward Dog and exhaled. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, Hugo was kneeling between her legs.

“What are you doing?” she asked as his hands rested on her hips.

“Joining you,” he replied with a low, sultry tone of voice. “As you suggested.” He lowered his head and bit lightly on her butt cheek while his hands circled her waist and inched their way inside the yoga pants.

“That’s not what I—oh, Hugo…” she groaned. “Yes… that’s far better than what I suggested…”

 

  1. **And last, but definitely not least…**



Lily walked out of the shower and rubbed the towel all over herself. God! The night before had been such a wild ride and, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t piece together what had happened at all.

She couldn’t find her favourite shoes, couldn’t understand where the hay in hair came from, couldn’t figure out where Hugo had gotten that hideous nipple piercing that he hastily took out and threw away, and she couldn’t remember—

“Ouch!” she complained aloud as she rubbed the towel all over her butt. “What the hell—” She was hurting quite a bit. She definitely must have fallen and she could only imagine what gigantic bruise she was sporting, now.

“Oh, man,” she sighed. She wrapped the towel around herself and walked into the living where Hugo was dozing off on the sofa.

“Baby,” she called him, voice whiny. “Can you check what I have here?”

Hugo’s eyes opened slowly and he smiled at her. “Where, hon?” he asked sleepily, sitting up.

She turned around and raised her towel over the small of her back. “Here,” she said, pointing at her left butt cheek as she touched it lightly.

Hugo let out a strangled sound that she couldn’t understand if it was amused or worried.

“What?” she asked alarmed. “What is it?”

“Oh, God,” he mumbled, a grin in his voice now, though.

“What?” she asked again, twisting her back to look down at her butt. “I can’t see anything! Where is it?”

He laughed earthily. “Here,” he said, touching a spot with his fingertip. “And now here. And here. And now here…”

“What? What is it?” she asked alarmed.

“A Snitch,” chuckled Hugo. “And it looks very lifelike.” He purred like a Kneazle. “I can’t wait to catch it. Hmm, boys and girls, Hugo Weasley will be the Seeker, tonight…”

She yelped when his wicked tongue licked her butt.

“Hugo!” she exclaimed in surprise. “A tattoo? Oh, damn it! My mum will kill me!”

“On the other hand,” he grinned, “your boyfriend appreciates it a lot.” He tugged the towel away from her and slid his arms around her stomach, dragging her to him. “Come here, baby,” he growled. “Seeker Weasley needs to practice for tonight’s match…”

FIN (For real now!)

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you liked this, my lovely and faithful readers! This was so much fun to write for me! There might be something else - if I find the time - coming out before the end of May.. Stay tuned, alright? xx


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